Prey And Predator
by Roji-Hoshi
Summary: On a school camping trip, things go wrong, and Lucy Heartfilia, an average girl of seventeen, finds herself in the grasp of Natsu Dragneel, and other people of his...kind. But when Natsu finds out he can't feed off Lucy, a whole story unravels, creating a bond between Prey and Predator. NaLu Natsu and Lucy [natsuxlucy] A Sequel to the story is to be published as well. The Hunter.
1. Prologue

**Hey! I am back from the dead! So, those who already know me from my previous account, welcome again (I am thinkng about you TSW, Bookworm and Saracasim ;) And for those who have never know me before, THANKS FOR CLICKING ON THIS FIC T^T**

**I really hope you enjoy, here is a short prologue for my new fic.**

**Disclaimer: Dn't wn Fr tl r sllbls. B b sllbls. Th wr nc... Hr Mshm wns Fr Tl, nt m.**

**ENJOY!**

PREY AND PREDATOR

~PROLOGUE~

Lucy Heartfilia yawned. If there was one thing she hated, was school camping trips. The worst part was that they weren't even going anywhere interesting, just up the mountain next to her town.

"Lu-Chan! Tired already?" Her best friend, Levy, laughed.

"No, just yawning." Lucy said, hitching her bag up, showing that she didn't feel the burn in her leg muscles.

"Yawning means you're tired, silly." Levy laughed. Lucy smiled.

"Well..."

"Yawning can also mean one is lacking oxygene." Her other friend, Erza, said to her.

"Exactly! I am just lacking oxygen." Lucy smiled.

"Yeah right." Levy laughed.

"Lucy has a fighting spirit! She would never suffer from a lack of sleep!" Erza said, as she bashed Lucy on the back, maybe a bit harder than intended.

"Ow! Y-yeah..." she said, as she frowned. Levy laughed.

"Erza...does _Jellal_ have a fighting spirit?" Levy muttered. Erza went a colour to match her bright red hair.

"Oh no." Lucy said, before Erza raised her hand, and bashed Levy over the head. The latter fell down, hands over her throbbing skull.

"Erza!" She cried out.

"Erza, are you being mean again?" A bored, slightly slurred, voice asked.

"Cana, I wouldn't, Jellal has been mentioned to her..." Lucy whispered to the brunette.

"O-oh. Okay. I said nothing. Come on Levy, get up." She said, helping the bluenette up.

"What's going on here?" A stern woman's voice said.

"M-Miss Aquarius!" The girls squeaked, except for Erza, who just crossed her arms.

"Nothing is going on, miss. I was just helping Levy crack her back. It's been aching all day apparently." She said, closing her eyes wisely.

"Tsch. Keep up." The teacher said, before walking back to the front again. Lucy, Levy, and Cana all breathed out, relieved.

"What are you up to again?" An icy voice said from behind Erza.

"None of your business." Erza replied.

"Gray-Sama! Why must you be ignoring Juvia and speaking to the other girls!?" A blue haired girl cried, as she rushed over to Gray, standing with his hands in his pockets, and his black hair messy.

"Juvia..." he sighed.

"Come on!" Aquarius's voice said.

"Come on, people, we don't want to be slaughtered." Lucy said, and they continued upwards.

Lucy Heartfilia hated school trips. But with her friends they weren't that bad. Little did she know, however, how her life would change by going up those hills. Little did she know about the person, in a cave, grinning to himself, as he smelt fresh blood. Little did she know about the other people he called, and they smelt them.

Little did she know, about how her life would end so soon.

**Okay, it's just a small usual chapters are around 2000 words long, and I will try and update around once per week :)**

**Love you lots, and thank you :) :** Bisous from Roji **

**REVIEW AND TELL ME IF YOU WANT MORE! :*****


	2. In Exchange

**Here is chapter two, I hope you enjoy, here we dwelve deeper into the story...oooooooooh...**

***feeble attempts to make it interesting***

**Anyway enjoy!**

PREY AND PREDATOR

~2-IN EXCHANGE~

Up in the mountains, higher than the camp site where Lucy and the other school kids were, a pink haired man woke up.

"Morning Natsu-San." A blond cooed, just hovering above Natsu's face.

"Sting." Natsu said, as he got up, holding himself on his elbows.

"Did you sleep well?" He asked. Natsu yawned, and took a quick look around the cave. The cave was spacious, and rocks had formed bridge-like formations across it. One of the skinnier ones was where Natsu was sleeping, perched on the rock. He looked down. Two back haired men and a little blue haired girl were looking up.

"Fine." Natsu said, as he got up. He jumped down, twenty meters or so, before landing by the other people. He landed unscathed.

"It's your go tonight, so we decided you can finish her off." Gajeel, one of the black haired men said.

"Excellent. Did you finish the five other ones?" He asked, as Sting landed next to him.

"Yes! I am getting better at this!" Wendy, the little girl said.

"Well done." Natsu laughed, as he patted her head. "Why don't you watch me? You might learn something?" He said.

"Yes please!" Wendy smiled, as she took his outstrechted hand. They walked down the cave, which slopped slightly downwards, and then turned into a large circle. There were different passages to go, but Natsu and Wendy went down the furthest one to the left.

"Natsu?" Wendy said.

"Yeah?" He replied.

"Will I ever know who my mum and dad are?" She asked. Natsu sighed, and stopped.

"Wendy." He said, crouching down, and putting his hands on her shoulders. "There is something you know, but you are indifferent about it. We aren't like other humans. We aren't humans. Our parents are humans, but they don't want us, because we are different, we are born different. What was the first thing you remember feeling?" He asked her.

"I was hurting. My stomach and my throat, everything hurt." Wendy said.

"Yes, and have you ever felt that pain again?"

"Yes, when I am hungry."

"Exactly. We are human's predators. We eat them. But not like they eat stuff. To survive on our world, you have to practise the art of eating. What do we feed on Wendy?"

"Emotions! The one I can eat is when they are happy, so I let them go free, and then I surprise them!" Wendy smiled.

"Yes. I eat pain..." Natsu said, as they continued walking. The passage ways went off into various different directions, until they reached one. They went into it, revealing a smaller cave.

"Is she there?" Wendy asked.

"Yes, can you feel what she's feeling?" Natsu asked.

"Yes, I think...she's sleeping, she's...she's dreaming." Wendy said. "Mmm..she's happy...Natsu? Are you sure you don't want to share?"

"No. I need the food tonight, because it's my turn to go hunting."

"But you have an easy catch, all those school kids." Wendy whined.

"Still, my go." Natsu said, and patted her on the head. Wendy sighed, and hung back, as Natsu went forwards.

He loved it when they were sleeping. That feeling of dread they felt when they woke up, to see him grinning down...damn, it made his mouth water.

"Hey..." he whispered, putting his hand on the girl's cheek. She had black hair, all messy. Her once rosy cheeks were now pale and white, and the shine she used to have in her eyes was gone. She looked up slowly to see him.

"No..." she croaked. Natsu felt the dread. He wanted the pain. He crouched down lower, holding her hair away from her ear.

"Hey, hey, don't worry, okay? This is it. I am going to kill you now, horribly. You'll feel so much pain, and never, will you ever get out again." He smiled. She cried.

"No...I am begging of you... not you again..." she said. Natsu laughed.

"Oh? So you know what I like, huh" he said. The girl nodded. Natsu got up. "Yeah, I like pain. The emotion you feel when you have pain. Damn..it's so rich, and a mix of despair, and dread. So much things... that's why my power is this, you see?" He said as he crouched down in front of her, and lit his hand. She cringed away from it. Natsu felt the fear.

"No no don't!" She shouted. Natsu laughed, and slowly, very slowly, placed his hand on her bare waist. She screamed, as her skin burnt, feeling like as if it was melting away. Natsu laughed, before taking his hand away.

"You are excellent food." He said, before he pushed her hair back, revealing her pale neck, and he lit his hand again, burnnig. It continued like that, until she was feeling so much pain, Natsu couldn't resist.

He stopped the flame, and just put his hand on the burn on her waist. She wimpered. "It's okay...you are going to die now, don't worry..." he cooed, before taking his hand off. He got on top of her, and held her head back, before he kissed her, slowly, and what looked like passionately. What felt like passionately. He ran his tongue over her top lip, forcing her mouth open. The flow of pain started.

_'Of course, Natsu's way of eating is peculiar, I forgot.' _Wendy thought to herself. _'To get to our desired emotion, we first have to cause that emotion, and then we have to counteract it, to make than emotion feadable. Since Natsu's emotion is pain, he counteracts it with pleasure."_

Natsu could feel her strength weakening, but he knew there was more in there. She just needed more pleasure... he ripped what was left of her top off, and took her breast. He warmed his hand just slightly, and palmed it. The woman was now feeling pure pleasure, giving more of the remaining pain emotion. But then, everything stopped. None. No more emotions. No heartbeat. Natsu sighed, and lifted his head.

"Ah well, she was just getting tasty." He said, as he got up from the dead woman. Wendy smiled at him.

"Your way of eating is interesting." She said.

"Well, it's also damn good." He laughed, as he licked his lips. "You see Wendy? That's why we don't know who our parents are. They are humans. We aren't. We are-"

"Dragons!" Wendy smiled.

"Just because we look like that in our hunting form doesn't mean we are." He laughed. "No, we are something more." He said. "I'm off hunting." He said, before running, faster than Wendy, to the mouth of the cave. The moonlight shone on him. He was wearing raggedy clothes. Black trousers, ripped in places, and a black jacket, that was sleevless, and left his arms uncovered. He sighed, put the hood up, and jumped off.

And then, he transformed.

"So, what do we do when we camp?" Levy asked the group, consiting of Erza, Lucy and Cana.

"Fight." Erza said.

"Girl talk?" Lucy proposed.

"Get drunk and then have a thr-" Cana said.

"Don't continue that sentence..." Lucy sighed.

"No, you silly girls." Levy laughed. "We tell ghost stories." She said, spookily. Lucy laughed.

"You? Tell ghost stories?" She said.

"Sure! I know some really good ones... ever heard of... Sonra?" She said, the light from the campfire flickering on her face. There was more the one campfire, all with different groups around them, and one big fire in the middle.

"Sonra? No..." Cana said.

"It's not really known, but it's true..." she said. Erza gave a smug chuckle.

"They say that about al the ghost stories."

"This one is though! Okay, I'll tell it to you..." Levy said. "There was once a young girl, about our age, called Sonra. She had long black hair that came down to her lower back, a fringe that partially covered her eyes, which were a grey colour. People avoided her. She didn't really like being around them either, so everything was okay.

Sonra loved books however, she would read and read and read, escape into the words.

One day though, Sonra was walking home, from the library, when she tripped. The books she was carrying fell all over the place. She lay in the gutter, feeling sad, wishing that maybe it would be nice to have a friend.

'Do you need some help?' A voice asked. Sonra looked up, to see a handsome young man her age, with the blondest of hair and bluest of eyes. Sonra nodded, as the boy bent down to pick them up. 'I'llwalk you home if you like? I am Joe.' The boy said. Sonra nodded, and the boy helped her.

Sonra and the boy stayed friends for the rest of the time, they would go to the library together, and read books, till one day... Sonra and Joe decided to take a nap on the chairs, and nobody had seen them. They stayed sleeping till Joe woke up, and realised the library was closed, and it was night.

'Sonra! Sonra!' He called. Sonra woke up.

'Joe? What is happening?' She asked.

'We are locked in, come on, let's find a way out-" Levy was interupted in her story by a loud noise, comming from somewhere in the distance. Cana laughed.

"Bad timing missy, you're meant to do the noise after you talk about the ghost."

"That wasn't me!" Levy shouted. The noise sounded again, it was closer, and louder. Lucy sat up.

"It isn't her Cana...it's coming from...it's coming from the sky..." she said. She looked up to the stars.

"Lucy stop it you're scaring me." Cana said. The noise sounded again, louder.

"Quick, let's group up at the main camp fire!" She shouted, as they all got up, and ran to the big fire in the middle. Obviously, the other students had had the same idea.

"Lucy!" Gray said, as he saw the blond run over. "What is that sound?! You're the one into astronomy, maybe-"

"I have no idea, the only event where loud noises come from the sky is when snow falls down heavily, causing friction in the air, but there is no snow!" She said, another noise sounded, they all covered there ears.

"It sounds like a..." Erza started. She shook her head. "No, I am being stupid."

"A roar." Levy finished.

It suddenly felt like time had stopped, as complete silence reined. Then, there was a swirling gust of wind.

"Levy!" Lucy shouted, seeing the wind make the fire swerve. She jumped and pushed Levy to the ground out of the way. "Are you okay?!" She shouted. She heard no answer.

She raised her head, to see Levy, look up in absolute terror. Lucy looked up, and felt the same feeling of terror spread through her body.

"N-no..." she whispered.

Above them was the underhide of a giant red beast, its black eyes glinting, it's wingspan over twenty meters, and giant claws coming closer to the ground.

"HELP US!" A student shouted, as they fell to there knees. They were running away, around, somehwere. Lucy just stayed fixed, looking at the giant beast.

"This isn't possible..." she whispered.

The giant red beast lifted his head, let out an ear piercing roar, and a jet of fire spouted from it's mouth, closing of the campsite in a circle of fire. Lucy gasped, as the hot air swam around them. Her eyes couldn't look away from the giant beast. What was it going to do? Kill them?

"Lu-chan! Get away!" Levy said, as she ran to her side, and pulled her arm.

"Levy, it's no use. We're trapped." Lucy said, putting her hand on Levy's arm. Lucy watched, amazed, as the giant reptile lifted it's wings. There was a blinding light, causing more screams. Lucy covered her eyes with her hand. "Ah! What the hell is it!" She shouted, as she held Levy. The light stopped. There was quiet, complete, and absolute, silence.

"W-where is he?" Levy whispered to Lucy. Lucy looked up, and where the dragon had been, indeed, nothing was there.

"I don't know..." she muttered.

_"Hello, humans." _A whispering voice said.

"Where did that come from?!" Levy shouted.

"I don't know, it sounds like it's coming from everywhere." Lucy said back.

_"I am everywhere. I am unavoidable. I am right behind you, yet right in front of you..." _The voice whispered.

"Is that the dragon?" Juvia asked, a few meters away from Lucy and Levy.

"Dragon? Really?" The voice said. Juvia screamed, as she turned around. Lucy looked, shocked to see a man of around there age, with pink hair, and flames coming from his shoulders. "I ain't a dragon." He said.

"Who are you?!" Juvia screamed. The man laughed.

"I am humans only predator, and I am _hunting_!" He said, baring his teeth at her. Juvia fell to the ground. "And I am choosing you as prey. Since you said 'dragon' and your emotions are pretty high..." He said, as he crouched down in front of her.

"No...please...Gray-Sama..." she cried. Lucy looked at Gray, then at Juvia... Juvia was a friend of hers, about to be taken away and killed. An impulse in her couldn't let that happen.

"No!" She shouted. The man didn't hear her. He just grabbed Juvia's colar. Lucy walked towards him, as he still paid no attention to her.

"Lucy! Don't!" Levy shouted. Lucy raised her leg, and aimed a kick at the man's face. She wanted to hear him curse, but instead, his hand caught her leg, stopping it in midair.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" He said, eyes still on Juvia. In one movement, he twisted her leg around. Lucy yelped and fell to the floor.

"Ah! Get off Juvia!" She shouted at him. He laughed, as he took her arm, and bent it behind her back.

"Who are you then? You want me to leave her?" He laughed. Lucy felt so angry.

"Yes!" She shouted. Natsu laughed. He pulled her up, and put his head at the crook of her neck.

"Tell me your name..." he whispered into her ear. Lucy gulped. She had never felt so scared, yet so brave.

"L-Lucy..." she said back. He gave a small chuckle.

"Okay, _Lucy_." He said. He pushed her onto the ground, and held Juvia up by the collar. Juvia struggled, holding her collar down, as it wasn't letting her breath properly. "Instead of taking this girl, what was her name?" He said.

"Juvia!" Lucy shouted at him.

"Instead of taking miss Juvia, I'll take you, how's that? Your life in exchange of hers." He declared. Lucy looked at the ground, at Levy, who was holding her cheeks, then at Juvia, who was looking down at her, shaking her head.

Lucy took a breath in.

Her life in exchange of a friend's.

"I agree." She said, going against all her nature. There was absolute silence.

Until the man laughed. He laughed and laughed.

"I like your spirit!" He said, as he threw Juvia to the ground. Lucy got up.

"No..." Juvia said.

"Don't." Lucy said, putting a hand on her shoulder. Juvia looked up at her, her eyes full of water.

"You are amazing." She whispered. Lucy smiled at her. She was taken by shock, when she felt a hand grab the back of her hair, and pull her head back.

"Ah!" She said, putting her hands to his, trying to prize them away. His hands were warm, yet cold.

"I don't like goodbyes." He said in her ear.

"Levy..." Lucy said, turning her head to where the bluenette was, on her knees, crying.

There was blinding light, and Lucy felt heat, before something sharp colsing around her abdomen. When the light had disapated, she opened her eyes, and saw he had turned into a dragon once again, and his claws were around her waist. He spread his wings, and took off. Lucy cried, as she struggled to get out, regretting having gone on the trip, but not regretting offering her life instead of Juvia's.

Natsu's pointy teeth glinted, as he gave a reptilian smile, feeling the amazing emotional range of the blond in his grip. Never had he felt such mixed emotions, regret, pride, fear, courage, everything was contradicting everything. Absolutely delicious.

**I hope you enjoyed! A friend who read this said it was cannabalism... they are not of the same species, and anyway, it's just like vampires ^^ I hope you stay for the third chap, and thanks for reading!**

**Bisous! :***


	3. Sunrise

**Hey peeps, next chap here ^^ hope you enjoy!**

PREY AND PREDATOR

~3-SUNRISE~

Lucy groaned, as she opened her eyes. The cold stone against her back and legs made her arch her back up, as she opened her eyes.

"What the?!" She said, as she saw that she was in a closed cave, chains holding her hands to the wall.

"Hey, did you forget?" A voice said from the entrance.

"You!"

_The blinding light shone once again, as Lucy saw the mouth of a large cave. She felt a fall, and suddeny she was once again in the man's grip, her arm bent behind her back._

_"Get off me!" She shouted, as she bought her free fist back, trying to get his face._

_"We have a deal." He said, as he caught her hand, and bent it back. She gasped in pain, as he bent further back. She refused to walk forwards. "You are so annoying." He sighed. He dragged her, not carring about her curses and yelps._

"Ah, you did forget. A lot of them do, shock." He said, as he sat in front of her.

"Do you know what else keeping someone captive causes? Adrenaline rushes." She said, as she pulled against the chains, trying to get to him, to kick him or even just harm him in any way.

"Are you threatening me?" He laughed.

"Yes." She said. He laughed more.

"I was right to take you instead of that girl! You are going to be so tasty!" He laughed.

"Natsu, when are you gonna come out of there?" A boyish voice said at the door.

"More?!" Lucy said.

_"Natsu's got prey!" A little girl's voice chanted. Lucy opened her eyes, and saw a twelve year old girl, with deep blue hair, in a raggedy dress, a deep green colour, but with tears in it, just like the man's clothes._

_"More of you?" She said in between clenched teeth._

_"Yeah, welcome to my family." He said. "Hey Wendy." He said._

_"Natsu!" She said, as she climbed onto his back._

_"You monsters have names?" Lucy said to him._

_"Duh. Who's the blond?" A gruff voice said from the right._

_"Hey Gajeel, you finally awake?" Natsu said._

_"Fuck off. How good is she?" He said._

_"Good?!" Lucy shouted._

_"She's a fighter. You should of gone for another girl, Natsu." A blond boy said, appearing right next to Lucy's face._

_"Nope, I caught good. Sting back away." Natsu said, pulling Lucy away._

"You're Sting." Lucy said to the boy at the entrance of the cave.

"Yeah, I am also hungry. Come on Natsu! When can I feed?!"

"Remember, the capturer get's to go first." Natsu said, as he took her arm, and dug his nails into her skin. Lucy swore.

"Get off you bastard!" She shouted, as she tried to get her arm away.

"Mmm...that emotion has no name. The emotion you feel when you get pain." Natsu said, as he closed his eyes. "Your emotions are so strong, wow...you can just tell you've had a full life." He grinned.

"Natsu. Gajeel wants to see you." A bored voice said at the door.

"How many of you are there?" Lucy said, seeing the black haired man, dressed in a black jumper and black trousers.

"That's it." Natsu said. "I am Natsu." He said, eyes still on Rogue.

"Natsu, why are you speaking to food?" Rogue asked.

"Wow. Nice." Lucy sighed.

"She's so brave..." Rogue said walking in. He crouched down in front of Lucy, and inhaled. "Natsu...hurry up and have your share...I can't wait..." He whispered. Natsu chuckled.

"You must be confused huh?" He asked Lucy.

"Yeah. Confused and repulsed." She said, looking at Rogue, inching away from him. Natsu laughed.

"Rogue, give it a rest." Natsu said. Rogue's eyes snapped open.

"Natsu, what is it with you?" He said.

"What?" Natsu said.

"You are behaving human. You like this girl." He said.

"Oh Rogue..." the boy named Sting laughed. "You know how Natsu feeds. He can't help be friendly with the girls... when it's a boy he's just as friendly though..." Sting laughed, as he sidled towards Natsu, giving his arm a little poke. Natsu sighed.

"Feed?! How the hell do you feed? Why do you keep going on about emotions?" Lucy asked.

"Okay, you have to admit that this one if kind of likeable." Natsu said, showing Lucy.

"Hmm, true, maybe a bit undelicate for my liking..." Sting said. "But wow, she does have a lot of sorrow...wow...that hidden sadness...so much..." he sighed. He crouched down before Lucy, and held her chained hand. "I'm so sorry...I can feel how much sadness you have...tell me about it?" Sting said, as he put his hand to her cheek. Lucy looked at him, enraptured in his stare.

"Sting. Capturer goes first." He said, kicking him.

"Hey!" Sting shouted.

"Tell Gajeel I'll come back later. I'm hungry." Natsu said, looking at Lucy. Lucy looked scared up at him.

"Oh. Fear spike." Sting laughed, as he walked out the cave entrance.

Natsu waited, till the steps had gone away. He crouched down before Lucy. Who's breathing became quicker.

"You wanna know how I feed?" He said. Lucy looked at him, unresponsive, head against the wall. Natsu laughed. "Fear and curiosity, huh?" He smiled. "We feed off emotions." He said.

"W-what?!" Lucy said, as she saw him grin.

"We feed off emotions. We all have our one emotion which we can obtain. We have to cause that emotion, and then cause one to contradict it, ejecting it out of your system." He said. "We continue feeding, till we eat you dry." He laughed. Lucy started breathing quicker.

"No...no...no..." she muttered.

"Hey...it's okay, you'll like the way I feed." He laughed, as he sat down next to her. He lit his hand. "Our kind have different types of bonuses like this. Mine is fire. I guess it helps me get my food..." he said, as he unlit his hand, and put it on Lucy's arm. Lucy looked scared.

"What are you-AH!" She screamed, as he lit his hand. Lucy tried to get her arm away, thrashing against the chains, all whilst screaming.

"Shhh..." he said, putting his other hand on her cheek. She moved her head away. He laughed, and took her leg, taking off one of the high socks she had on. He put his hand back on, as she tried to kick it away, but Natsu's grip was strong. He lit his hand, causing her to scream more, and cry, and beg.

"Please... please...stop..." she said, as Natsu finally took his hands away. She breathed heavily, and took a quick glance at the skin. Red, black, and hurting like hell. She cried. Natsu smiled.

"That nameless emotion...the one you have when you feel pain..." he said, as he took her arm, and pressed his fingers around the burn. Lucy cried.

"S-stop..." she said.

"Don't worry, like I said, the emotion I want has to be contradictied by it's opposite, to get it out your system. What's the opposite of pain?" He asked. She wouldn't answer. Natsu sighed. "It wasn't rethorical..."

"Don't you even dare..." Lucy whispered.

"Oh. You figured it out." He said, taking his hand away from her burn.

Lucy closed her eyes. She didn't want to let him do it, and she very much didn't want him to feed off her. She wished there was some way she could control her emotions, but no...the pain was already there...

Natsu put his hand on her cheek bone.

"Lucy...open your eyes.." he whispered. Lucy shook her head. "Open your eyes." He said, sterner. Lucy did, her eyes burning with hatred. Natsu gave a slight laugh, and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "You know, huh?" He laughed, as he looked at her sideways. Lucy swung her leg round, kicking him. Natsu didn't move. He just caught her leg. "Why are you even trying? We are human's predators, evolved to feed off you. No matter what, when I want you too, you'll feel pleasure. And then I'll feed." He whispered, before he stroked her closed lips. She had tears in her eyes. Natsu shook his head. "Hey..hey, everything's okay..."

"You monster!" She shrieked. Natsu laughed, and pinched her chin, he held her head against the wall, and kissed her, stroking her hair back with his other hand. Lucy's lips didn't react. He frowned, as he kissed her. Nothing. There wasn't anything. He put his hand on her waist, stroking down, but still, nothing. He felt nothing from her. He breathed quicker, as he tried to make her feel more, or even just feel. He desperatly tried to detect what she was feeling, but...nothing. He leant away, and growled.

"Come on!" He shouted at her. Lucy looked at him, eyes wide.

"W-what?" She asked, startled, her lips wet.

"Why isn't it working! You felt pain?! Huh? Did you?!" He shouted at her, pushing her shoulders back. She hit the wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" She yelled.

"Ah! Why can't I feed?!" He shouted, kicking the wall. Stones fell. Lucy looked, confused, till she understood. She smiled, and slowly, started laughing.

"Oh, oh, I get it" she said, smiling despite the burns. Natsu looked at her, breathing through his teeth. Lucy laughed out loud, throwing her head back.

"What?!" Natsu growled at her.

"You can't eat me!" She chanted, laughing.

"Why?!" He yelled, and walked towards her. He broke the chains easily, and took her neck, holding her up against the wall. Her feet left the ground. She couldn't breath, she desperatly scratched Natsu's hands, trying to make him let go. "Why?!"

"I...I don't know..." she croaked. He let her go, she feel to the ground. He walked away.

"Come." He said, after a while. Lucy was on her hands and knees, breathing.

"H-huh?"

"Come." Natsu said, took her arm, and dragged her up.

"What?!" She asked, desperatly limping along, trying to keep up with. He didn't answer.

They walked through the caves, until they found themselves at a mouth. He threw Lucy on the floor.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked.

"Look." He said, pointing out. Lucy looked. Mountains covered the landscape, and just piercing through the summits, was the sun, rising onto a new day.

"Wow..." she sighed.

"What are you?" He said. Lucy frowned.

"Human!" She shouted. Natsu sighed.

"You can't be. Only one thing is immune to our feeding, ourselves." He said. There was silence.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked. Natsu sighed, and sat down.

"Because of the sunrise. It's beautiful." He said.

"And?"

"And our kind can't see that. We don't see beauty. You can. You can't be one of us, yet..." he sighed.

"Let me go then." She said. Natsu closed his eyes.

"No. I will keep trying to feed off you, until you give in. I know you are stopping me somehow, it's the only explanation." He said. Lucy looked down, and cried.

"I want to go home..." She cried.

"You aren't. Your home is here now, till we've finished you." He said. He took Lucy's arm again, and dragged her back to the cave where the chains were put back on. He walked out.

"Humanity one, Whatever you are, zero." She said, as he walked out. He stopped.

"We are your predators, so, prey, I suggest you keep your mouth shut." He said, and turned back. Lucy waited, making sure he had gone, and looked down at her leg. She whimpered.

"I want to go home..." she whispered. She hung her head, and let her tears flow, silently, not wanting to show any of them.

**So I was wondering what time and day would be most convenient for me to update with you, could you indicate your time zone if you do review please? Thank you!**

**Hope you enjoyed, next chap : 4-Rocks**

**See you there! Bisous :***


	4. Rocks

**As you may have noticed, I publish every saturday evening :***

PREY AND PREDETOR

~4-ROCKS~

Three weeks had passed since Lucy had been caught. Three, aweful weeks... Lucy opened her eyes, and as ever, the first thing she saw was the other side of the rocky cave, next to it the exit. She coughed, her throat was so dry. Lucy's state was deplorable. Her clothes had tears and burns in them, her skin was bleeding in some places, lightly burnt in others, some places were looking a dangerous shade of green. The chains around her hands were causing red rub marks around her wrists, and her eyes...her eyes had no shine... they would no longer show any sign of emotion.

"You're up." Natsu said, appearing at the entrance. Lucy groaned.

"N-no..." she whispered. Natsu nodded.

"I said so. I said I would feed on you." He said, as he lay her down straight. Lucy closed her eyes, and cried.

"There is no way I could feel pleasure from you..." she croaked.

"See, that's the thing about evolution. You have no choice. You love me when I do those things, it's nature." He said, before getting on top of her. Lucy closed her eyes, and turned her head to the side. "Just be thankful I've only gone as far as kissing you. I could just do it and that would probably do the trick." Natsu sighed."Never mind. Where today?" He asked, raising his fiery hand up.

"Your sick." Lucy croaked, as she bit down on her tongue.

"Fine. Neck it is." He said, and grabbed her under the neck, holding her hair up. Lucy opened her eyes, and looked at him so angrily...so bitterly...

"Brun in hell..." she spat. She would show him... She was strong, even though she was a mere human to him. She would show him...

"I am hell." Natsu said, before he heated his hand up. Lucy cried out slightly, her voice to weak to scream. Her skin was pink, whilst her neck burnt, and her mouth was open in agony. Natsu looked down at her. Her head was lolling off his hand, and her hair was back, revealing her beautiful skin. He looked down at her, lost a moment, lost in her pale skin, in her delicate lips, her fragile features, her light blush... he looked down in sorrow. She bit down on her bottom lip, as a small tear, like a pearl, rolled from the corner of her eye.

"D-don't..." she moaned. Nasu sighed.

"Lucy..." he whispered, as he raised her up, and put his lips to the crook of her neck, stoppping the heat from his hand. Lucy sighed out in relief.

"A-ah..." She said, as he blew slightly on her neck.

"Like it?" He asked, momenterily removing his lips.

"N-never..." She said, as he licked.

"Don't lie." He whispered into her ear.

"I'm not." She breathed out.

"I know you're feeling pleasure. You have no choice." He whispered, as he bought his hand to her chest, and put his hand around her breast.

"S-stop." She said, but Natsu iterrupted her by kissing her lips, and he breathed in. Her sweet scent, so pure, yet so bitter... He waited for it, the tase, the warm flow that went into his mouth, but nothing, just the taste of Lucy...

"Come on!" He shouted, as he pushed her back again. Lucy, as ususal laughed.

"What's that now? Humans 31, whatever you are, 0?" She said.

"No. No you don't get your point just yet." He said, as put his hand around her cheeks.

"Come on just give up! Let me go and give up!" She said to him.

"No Lucy. I will feed of you." He said, as he gave a quick kiss on her lips.

"Stop." She said. Natsu grinned.

"What?"

"Stop. Kissing me. With no intention to please." She said. He then felt her emotions.

"You've let your guard down...I can feel what you're feeling." He laughed, as he put his hand to her heart. She frowned up at him.

"I don't understand?"

"I can feel peoples emotions, Lucy. Normaly, but with you..." he sighed, and pressed his hand down harder where her heart was. "I can't, except from time to time, little flutters of emotions." He smiled.

"I don't mean to hide them." She said.

"Liar, nobody can hide there emotions unintentionaly." He said, and kissed her quickly again. He laughed. "There it is again."

"What?" She asked.

"You, you actually really do like this, see? You like the kisses." He laughed. Lucy bit down on her lip.

"Stop!" She shouted.

"You do like it!" He laughed.

"No! I like the kisses, but nothing else. You torture me then make out with me, like as if I would like that." She shouted.

"Don't you see? I can feel it when you lie Lucy, right now I can feel everything you feel. Damn...that's a lot of hate for me, there is pain there as well, but you like this, you definitely like this." He said, before kissing her again, staying put on her lips a moment longer. "Yes, you like it." He kissed her more, before he forced her mouth open with his tongue, and kissed her passionatley. He kept his hand on her heart, feeling the pleasure she felt.

"Aren't you angry?" Lucy said, her voice low, as she leant away.

"Angry? Why?" He asked. Lucy smiled, and kissed him. Natsu looked shocked.

"Okay, maybe I do like it." She said. "But that also means you now know you are achieving pleasure, but you're still not getting the pain." She laughed, and kissed him again. Natsu frowned. Something about Lucy, there was something about her, her way of laughing despite it, he just couldn't shake it off.

"I have other hypotheses." He said.

"Like what?" She asked. Natsu took her cheek, and kissed her.

"Aw...I can't feel it anymore.." he sighed. He got up off her, and indicated for her to turn around. She did getting up on her knees. "Maybe, maybe you get a more intense pleasure from something else, that's what I'm thinking." He said, as he undid her chains. She sighed as they came off her wrists. "Up." He ordered. She nodded, and scrambled up.

"I'm cold..." she muttered, as she stumbled.

"Tsch..." Natsu sighed, and picked her up bridal style.

"Hey!" She shouted.

"What? You are limping." He said.

"Yeah, only because of your burns! I can walk it off." She said, and got down. Natsu sighed.

"I got you some clothes from the campsite you were at. They left in a hurry, leaving everything there." He muttered.

"Y-you got me clothes? No, torn to shred clothes?" She said, her eyes shining. He looked to the side.

"Yes, come." He said. She nodded, and followed him through the caves, till they reached the main one.

"Natsu? Why is she out? Still no luck?" The gruff one, named Gajeel asked.

"No. I wanna try something else." He said.

"Or-" Sting said. "Let me try." He whispered, having grabbed Lucy's wrists and holding them behind her back, giving her a boyish grin.

"Sting get off her!" Natsu growled, kicking him so he flew into the wall, and grabbing Lucy's waist, holding her close to him. There was silence.

"Natsu-san, we are all hungry..." The little girl named Wendy whined.

"Yes. I am starving." Rogue said, as they all approached Lucy.

"Stop! The catcher gets to go first!" He yelled.

"You can't feed of her though." Sting sighed.

"Just let Sting try, he's the least lickely to kill her." Gajeel said. Natsu sighed.

"Fine." He said, and pushed Lucy to him. Lucy fell to the ground.

"Ouch..." she sighed.

"Hey..." Sting whispered. "Come up there with me, I want to speak with you." He said. He grabbed Lucy around the waist, and jumped up. He landed twenty meters above the main entrance, on a stone formation going from one side of the wall to the other.

"What?" Lucy asked, as she looked down, scared.

"I want to speak with you... tell me about your past. I felt sorrow in you when you came..." he said, as he took her hand. Lucy looked into the blue eyes of the man, and felt like she could trust him...

"I...I have lived in an orphanage most of my life... my mother and father left me at the doorstep, like as if they didn't want me..." She sniffed.

"They probaly didn't..." Sting said. Lucy felt sad, as she looked at the ground below them. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"The feeling of not being wanted..." she put her hand over her eyes.

"Hey, I am going to let you escape." Sting whispered to her ear.

"What?" She asked, her sorrow being replaced by happiness.

"Yes, you are of no use, Natsu is just fixated." Sting said, before grabbing her wrist again. He took her face, and approached to her mouth, forcing her own open. Lucy thought he was going to kiss her, but he just stayed there, his mouth parted as well. "Damn!" He shouted.

"W-what?!" Lucy asked.

"I can't feed of you either! Bitch!" He yelled, and pushed her. She stumbled back, and fell of the edge.

"Ah!" She screamed, as she felt the air rush through her hair. She expected to feel a giant crash, but instead she felt warmth... "Natsu." She said, as he put her to her feet.

"STING!" He roared. Sting jumped down.

"Natsu there is no use! We can't feed off her! We need to kill her!" Sting yelled.

"Stop it!" Gajeel shouted. Sting growled.

"Just because Natsu has an extra power he thinks he's superior to all of us! He's obsessed with that girl!" Sting yelled, waving a hand at Natsu.

"Shut up! I will feed on her, and you ain't gonna stop me!" Natsu yelled back.

"What is it with her Natsu?! Usually you would of killed her by now! Is she just your toy now?!"

"Fuck you!" Natsu shouted back.

"Um...where is she?" Wendy asked shyly.

"What?!" Sting and Natsu barked, turning to Wendy. Wendy gulped.

"J-just, where is the girl?" She said. Natsu looked around.

"No. No damn." He said.

"Well done Natsu, now she's gonna find her way back to civilisation and tell the world about us. Great, we'll end up like Acnalogia because of-" Sting started saying. Natsu just turned around, lit his fist, and punched him in the face.

"Happy now?! She's gone!" He yelled, and ran to the cave entrance. He jumped, and started falling down the cliff, but a blinding white ligh shone, and he was once more the giant flying reptile, with eyes like a hawk.

Meanwhile, Lucy slid down a steep slope, and arrived on a flatter bit. She ran, as fast as she could. Around her were grey rocks, the grey rocks tearing her skin and clothes, but also letting her escape. She slid, and fell on her front.

"Ah!" She yelled, as she cut her chin. She put her hand to it, and felt blood, but she still got up. Lucy got up, and ran.

**Next Chapter!**

**Could it be... Freedom? Is Lucy finally free from the claws of Natsu?**

**An old man, a young girl, and two young...dragons...**


	5. Safe House

**I have decided to re-publish When We Were Kids at the same time as this one, but on Wednesday nights. I will start right at the beginning again, just to hopefully improove the story, but t will end the same way. I may start publishing When We Were Kids twice a week actually... Hope you will be pleased!**

**Also, I have received comments about how Lucy can't survive without water or food. she is getting water, and food very occasionly, just I don't mention it because I just want to get on with the story, sorry .**

PREY AND PREDATOR

~5-SAFE HOUSE~

It was day outside, which Lucy was endlessy thankfull for. She climbed a bloulder, jumped off the other side, scrambled to her feet, and continued her descent. She was sure they would realise she was gone, sooner or later. She hoped that they would just realise it was futile, they couldn't eat her, and would let her go. So far there had been no sign of them, and since they couldn't feel her emotions anymore, she felt kind of safe, until-

Lucy froze. A sound had just been emited somewhere behind her. A sound she remembered well.

Three weeks ago, at the campsite, when they ran to the fire.

A roar.

"No!" She screamed, and ran faster. She could here the roars, and heard only one source, which she was thankfull, but her heart was beating, her legs were shaking, the taste of freedom was on the tip of her tongue. "No, no no no no no no." She said, as she slid down a steeper slope. "No I won't go back!" She shouted to herself. She swore as her burns hit the ground, as she tripped on a small boulder. She swore over and over, cradling her leg. She got up again, and ran. But...the roar that sounded next was closer. Lucy looked quickly behind her, and srceamed, he was in the air, the great red reptile, baring down at her. She ran, not being precautious, jumping over slopes, stumbling, getting back up. Wind from his wings were flowing around her. She could feel him, just above her. Natsu swooped down, and she screamed, and slid down a slope to her right. "Go away!" She cried. He swooped lower, and charged along the ground, swiping a clawed paw at Lucy, who jumped to her right, not knowing what was there. She screamed, as she fell further than intended down a small cliff, and landed.

"Gah!" She yelled, as her legs gave way. She looked up, and noticed Natsu was probably trying to find where she had gone. The cliff was straight down, and at the base of it had corrosed away, leaving a little space for a girl to lie in, not being seen if the hunter was looking from the skys. She crawled to it, and lay underneath, breathing heavily.

The day turned to night, and then, Lucy opened her eyes.

"I fell to sleep..." she muttered, and slid out of the cave. There was no sign of Natsu. She sighed, and looked up to the sky. "Stars..." she said, as she got ot her feet. She tested her legs, and noticed she was limping badly on her right one. It didn't matter. She laughed, as she looked up to the night sky.

"Prey has 32! Predator, none!" She shouted, as she raised her arms. She laughed, and fell to her knees, before crying in relief. The baron landscaped didnt make her feel desolate and sad, she knew she would find her way down to the forest.

Lucy walked, she limped actually. She limped all the way down, not minding her injuries, happy, so happy she was free. She limped down, till a speck of sunlight appeared over the horizon. She turned to the mountains, and sighed. The sky turned pink, and clouds were black, as the sun rose. She closed her eyes, and let a tear fall.

George Whenlock had heard it once more. But something was different with the beats this time. The beats had caused rocks to fall down, and George was going to the outskirts of the forest to observe. But when he arrived at the edge, he saw a silhouette. A black silhouette against the dawn of a girl, a girl holding her leg out, her hair blowing through her face. He saw the silhouettes of shredded clothes. Could she be...?

"M-Melissa?" He shouted. The girl turned around, and fell down. Gearge ran as fast as his old legs would take him, but when he saw the girl, disapointment over took him. She was blond, not a brunette, like his darling grandaughter... he looked down at her, burns all over her body, cuts, and her clothes were shreds, and dirty. He crouched down, and put his hand on her wrist, a heartbeat, and also red marks from where she had been held. Had she suffered the same fate as Melissa? Except...except this girl had escaped her sorry destiny...

George sighed, as he picked her up, putting her limp arm over his shoulder, and trying his best to drag her along without hurting her more.

_I am not sure where I am. Where is Juvia? I need to find Juvia. she must be safe._

_'Lucy.'_

_No, not him. Or should he be here? He's okay..._

_'Lucy, where are you? I need to keep you from the others.' He is saying. What does he men? They all want to eat me. I think I need to turn around, he must be behind me. I want to see him... if he was human... if we had met some other how...I wish..._

Lucy groaned, as the light hit her eyes. She opened them, and sat up quickly, with a slight yelp. She looked around confused.

"Where am I...?" She asked herself. She was on a bed, bandages over her burns and cuts, she felt better. "Ow..." she moaned, as she felt a horrible pain in he right leg.

"Oh, you are awake?" An old croaky voice said. Lucy looked up,and saw she was in a house. A one room house, the bed she was in was actually a couch, and the window was showing the green exterior of the forest.

"Y-yes, who are you?" She asked. The man hobbled over. His white hair was cut short, as was his beard and moustache. His eyes however were small and beady, and full of life.

"Me? Oh, I am old George Whenlock, nice to meet you." He smiled, as he dragged a chair over next to the couch, and sat on it. "Are you feelin' better?" He asked.

"Yes, but how did I get here?" She asked. George's face fell.

"I heard, those beasts makin' them weird sounds again. I went to the outskirts to see 'em, but nothin'... except for the shape of a young lass, and she falls over, so I went up to see, and I found you, missy. I bought you back, you were in wrong shape, you were." He said. Lucy smiled at him. He smiled back. "Who are you?" He asked, and looked at her, pointing his finger at her. "I don't know, you could be one o' those beasts, I am too trustful." He joked. Lucy laughed.

"Those beasts? How do you know them? And no, I am not one of those monsters." She said. George's face fell again.

"Oh...it's been some time I know 'bout them know...three years ago, I was out on the mountain with my grandaughter, and I look up, and see this young boy and a little girl in his arms. He's runnin' down, and sees us. He shouts. 'Help! Help her!' He shouts. I go over, and I am wonderin' what a young boy like him is doin' up there with a small lass? He must of been, what? Fifteen? Younger?" He said. Lucy's mouth fell open.

"D-did he have pink hair? She asked. George nodded.

"I see you know where this story is goin'... so I run over, and he puts the lass down on the ground, and say 'help her, she's my little sister, I don't know what to do.' And my Melissa, my grandaugter is good with little ones, and she nods. I took the little one down, and Melissa helped him down to our little house, this one. The little girl, she's nine, or summin', and she has a horrible fever, so we live in the forest, we know about remedies, and she's cured up in not long. I ask what they were doin' up there, and the young boy says 'it's complicated'" He said.

"What happened afetrwards?" Lucy asked.

"Well, he goes back up with his sister, and then...a week later, the boy knocks on our door. He's tellin'me to run, run away with my grandaughter, and we just look at him, scared, and then, he's gone." He said.

"What? He ran away again?" Lucy asked, frowning.

"No. No. He just vanished. You see, these creatures have amazin' strength and speed." He said.

"That explains a lot..." Lucy sighed, and put her hand around her wrist.

"So yeah, and then, at the door, a blond man appears, and he's the same age as this young one." He said, and put his hand over his eyes. "He walks in, and here's what he says. 'That old one isn't potent enough. I want the girl.' And...and my Meli is gone. I heard her scream as he took her, and kicked her to the ground. And then that was it. But since then I've been lookin' up that mountain, and waitin' for her to come back. But I don't think she will..." he sighed.

"I really am sorry..." Lucy said.

"Oh, don't be." George said, as he looked at her. "I'm not gonna be angry at you because you came down and not her, I'm just happy you're alive. Stay here for a while, the time you get better." He smiled. Lucy thought. She was worried they would feel her emotions again, but they couldn't, and she smiled.

"Thank you very much!" She smiled.

One week had passed since then, and Lucy's twisted leg had gotten better, and most of her burns and cuts had gone. The old man enjoyed having her company around, he had taught her about some of the remedies of the forest, how to hunt and track, and also how to make a fire, which Lucy admited shamefully she couldn't do. George was teaching Lucy how to shoot a bow, after telling her that Melissa would always have fun making them.

"Hold your elbow up higher." He said, as Lucy aimed for the make shift target on one of the trees. "Remember, the back of your hand should rub your jaw, and the string on the tip of your nose." He said. Lucy drew the bow, and aimed.

"Can I?" She asked.

"Back straighter." He said, Lucy straightened up. "Shoot." He orederd. Lucy let the arrow fly, and with a dull 'thud', it pierced the middle of the target.

"Yes!" She shouted.

"Well done!" George laughed. "A true hunter." He smiled. Lucy smiled down, as she hooked another arrow to the bow string. A true hunter, yet she had been prey...

That evening, over the table, the two clinked their cups together.

"To you, Lucy, a survivor." George smiled.

"And to you, George, a real friend." She said. They smiled at each other, before starting their dinner.

Suddenly, there was a nock at the door.

"Uch...it's probably those rangers again... I'll get it." George sighed, and got up.

"Sure, I'll get the paperwork." Lucy said, as she went to the cabinet at the far side of the house. She heard George open the door.

"Yes?" He asked. "Y-"

There was a crash as the door smashed wider open against the door, making Lucy turn around.

"Hello, old man..."

Lucy looked in horror at what she saw. Natsu was at the door, the last person she ever wanted to see again, and he had George in one hand, at his throat, holding him off the ground.

"No!" Lucy shrieked.

"Ah, I thought you were here." Natsu said, smiling at her.

"Let him go!" Lucy shouted, and ran at the door, taking a knife from the table, and swinging it at Natsu. Natsu dodged, by steping to the side.

"No. He's been enough trouble, keeping you safe here."

"Let him go!"Lucy shrieked, as George became purple, the white of his eyes showing. She grabbed onto Natsu's hand, and scratched down, digging her nails into his skin.

"Lucy stop!" Natsu shouted, and took her arm. Lucy was crying.

"Please...let him go...you've met him before. He saved Wendy." She cried. Natsu's mouth opened slightly, as the memory came back into his mind. He sighed, and let George drop. He fell to the ground. Lucy crouched down next to him.

"George? George?" She asked. The old man coughed, and gasped.

"Lucy, come." Natsu said.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She yelled at the top of her voice.

"Don't go..." George said.

"Lucy I can't, they are expecting someone,or else I will be chucked out." He said, as he took her hand.

"Get off me! I don't care if you are chucked out! I don't care if you die! BURN IN HELL!" She shouted. Natsu sighed.

"Leave her...please..." the old man croaked. Natsu sighed again.

"I'm sorry." He said, and lit his hand. He put his other arm around George's neck.

"Get off him!" Lucy shouted.

"Come with me or he dies." He said.

"Don't Lucy, I am old anyway, it doesn't matter-"

"Thank you George..." Lucy cried. "Fine. Fine. But never, ever touch him again." She said, standing up.

"I promise." Natsu said. He grabbed Lucy's arm. She tutted, and snatched her arm back out, before walking out the door.

"You...where is she...?" George croaked at Natsu.

"Your grandaughter...she's gone, I'm sorry." He said. Geogre got up, and punched Natsu in the face. Natsu let him, before walking out the door. He put a hand to just underneath his eye. It hurt...

Lucy walked. She walked freely, with Natsu next to her, wanting to take her arm.

"Why did you escape?" He asked her.

"Are you stupid? Because I was being tortured then almost raped. Anyone would want to get out."

The sun shone low, as it set.

"Hey listen." Natsu said, as he finaly broke the silence.

"What?" She asked, angrily.

"I'd let you go if I could. I really would." He said, grabbing her arm. The two stopped walking, as Lucy looked at him.

"Why don't you?" She asked him. Natsu looked down at her.

"You know too much, you would tell it to the world. We can't be discovered, new creatures are trapped and dissected. Even we can't fight off the whole world." He said.

"I won't. I promise I won't. Just let me!" She said to him. Natsu closed his eyes, and re opened them.

"There is another reason." He said. "Two actually. I want to find out what the hell you are. No human can hide their emotions from us. No human can stop us from feeding off them, and no human at all can make me have pleasure. So why can you do all those things?" He asked.

"I told you I don't know! I'll never go, so let me go!" She shouted. Natsu sighed.

"I told you I would, but there is the last reason. I've gotten into trouble with the others. I should of never bought you here, but they say I've become some what...obsessed with finding out what you are. I begged them for a last chance, and I have it."

"What?"

"48 hours. Forty eight hours to find out what you are before they kill you." He said. Lucy looked agahst at him.

"I really, really loath your kind." She said to him.

"You can't blame them. They're hungry, they're getting angry easily." He said. "But Lucy. I will find out what you are, and if I can, I will eat you. Just because I would let you go doesn't mean you are something to me, you are still food. And when I singled out your emotions from the rest of that crowd, I was glad you offered instead of the other girl, because you smelt delicious." He said. Lucy cringed away from him.

"Don't use that as a pick up line." She said, and continued walking up, knowing that George was safe, and she had saved another life.

**I hope you enjoyed! I have some one shots to publish, hope you will read them :) **

**Bisous :***

**NEXT CHAP! Will Lucy'sorigins emerge and shall we discover who she is?will she ever get out alive? And why is...another human in the cave? FIND OUT NEXT WEEK!**


	6. Beauty

**Here is chapter six! You guys should go check out Saracasim and Leals, their fanfics are awesome! Bisous :* Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

PREY AND PREDATOR

~6-BEAUTY~

"I have her." Natsu said, as he flew into the mouth of the cave, having previously had Lucy in his clawed grip, he now had her by the arm, like the first time she came.

"Good." Sting said, walking over. "Because there is one thing I have been wanting to do a lot for the past week." He said, and before anyone could react, he punched Lucy's face.

"Ah!" She said, as the force pushed her to the ground. She spat out blood, and gasped.

"Stop it!" Natsu yelled, and stepped in front of her.

"Natsu, your forty eight hours start now." Sting said, as he walked away. Natsu sighed, and picked Lucy up, bridal style. She put her hand over her cheek, where Sting had punched her. Lucy closed her eyes, as Natsu ran, quicker than a normal human being. He arrived in the cave, and put her on the ground. From the wall outside it, he took a pair of shakles, and threaded them through the loop forced into the wall, and he took Lucy's hands.

"You don't need these, I won't run because I now you'll kill George if I do." She said, and pulled her hands out of his grip.

"Lucy, the others, and me, are getting hungry. Expect another visiter." He said.

"No..." she groaned.

"I am sorry." He sighed.

"Don't lie. I know you are just saying that so I will co-operate with you and you can feed off me." She said, as Natsu took her hands again, and put them in shackles. Lucy sighed, and sat on the floor.

"You better co-operate. I have forty eight hours to find the truth, and then they kill you." He said.

"I don't know the truth, torture me but no good will come of it." She said. He laughed.

"Oh no, I want to know about you Lucy." He said, as he sat down in front of her. "Tell me everything about you." He said. Lucy frowned.

"Be more precise." She said.

"Okay. When and where were you born?" He said.

"I was born on the 1st of July 1997, and that's all they know." She said.

"What do you mean? How old are you?" He asked.

"I am 17 years old. I mean that I was left at a doorstep, with my name and date of birth." She said, and laughed. "Tragic, isn't it?"

"I guess. So what is your full name?" He asked.

"Lucy Jade Heartfilia." She said. **I don't know why Jade is there. Seems to fit. I don't even know why people have middle names...**

"Okay, you have your last name, surely you could find your parents?" He asked.

"I have never wanted to know them. They didn't want me, they left me, why would I want to know them?" She asked, and sighed. "My friend, she's a bookworm, found out who they were without telling me about her search. She told me, and I was angry against her."

"Why?" Natsu asked.

"Well, she had bought me to the edge of uncovering my past, like re-opening a wound. I don't want to see them." She said.

"Your parents might know about you, about who you are." Natsu said.

"How would they? I seem like a completely normal human being, but the moment I came here my emotions stop showing and you can't feed." She said.

"Still...what do you do in your spare time?" He asked. Lucy laughed.

"What is this? Speed dating?" She laughed bitterly.

"Seriously, if you do nothing, then there is a chance that you are one of us, you don't see the point in doing anything else." Natsu said.

"No. I do stuff." She said.

"Lucy, do you like life?" Natsu asked, his eyes fixed on hers, she seemed taken aback at the question.

"Y-yes!I love life! " She smiled.

"Why?" He asked her. "Why do you like this unimporant thing, forced onto us, making us fight each day? I can't see the beauty of it, but..." He sighed, and put his hand to his forehead, rubbing away his buzzing mind. "What do you like about life?" Lucy sighed.

"That's a complicated question. To me...Life is like a parcel, you know, a box, a plain cardboard box."

"Okaaayyyy..." Natsu said, frowning.

"It's not actual the actual box you like, its what's _inside _the box." She said to Natsu. He frowned. "My point is, life itself is rather pointless, but it keeps what I love inside it. My friends, my school, my books, my astronomy studies... If I had comitted suicide, I would of thrown away that box, with everything in it." She said, Natsu looked at her, and cocked his head to the side.

"I think I get it." He said. "You are a good student, who likes to study, and who loves the stars." He said.

"And I write a lot. And I shop with my friends a lot. It's fun." She said. She closed her eyes momentarily, and imagined them at a restaurant, bags of shopping at their feet, laughing. Her face fell, and tears ran. "I miss them..." she whispered.

"Lucy, can I tell you one thing?" He said.

"What?" She asked, sniffing. Natsu tore a small piece of material of his clothes, and wiped Lucy's cheeks with it, getting rid of the tears. Lucy was surprised. She expected him to be rough, but he was gentle, and his hands were soft and warm.

"If there is one thing I ever regret doing, it's meeting you." He said. Lucy frowned.

"I don't understand." She said, as Natsu sat back. She couldn't understand, how could he regret it? He had found food, well, until he discovered he couldn't feed.

"So many people would rather their lives ended. They don't like the box or what's inside it. They want to throw it away. I would much rather feed off them, but yet I was going to tear the life of a girl who loves living, who enjoys being alive, why would I do that?" He said, and sighed. "I really am sorry, Lucy. I don't want to be what I am. I want to be human." He whispered.

"Natsu..." she said.

"I hate myself. I hate being who I am, feeding off people, I want to see that sunset Lucy! I want to see the beauty of it, the beauty of the stars when they shine, when it snows and the snow powders these mountains, mixing the grey with white, and in autumn, when the forest is a mix of orange colours...I want to see it. All I think is 'there is snow.' Or 'the trees will lose their leaves'. I want to feel what you humans feel." He said, and came closer to her, putting his hands on her cheeks. Lucy looked startled at him.

"Natsu, what are you?" She asked him.

"I want to see the beauty in people. Like you. For some reason Lucy, I see the beauty in you. I don't know why, but just you, your eyes, your hair. You are the only thing I see the beauty in, it makes me _addicted _to you Lucy, but it scares me. It scares me that a mere human has defeated me, just by making me feel human. I don't...I don't want to feed on someone as beautiful as you." He said, and looked deep into her eyes. Lucy's heart was beating, her mouth was slightly open, and she felt like crying.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry Natsu..." She said. Never would of she ever thought that she would be saying sorry to him. But...she had destroyed his raison d'être...

"Don't be...I love it..." he said, and let his arm go around her neck, and then held her against him.

"N-Natsu?" She asked.

"What's this? I've seen people do it, what is it?" He asked. Lucy wanted to wrap her arms around him. Around her predator, her torturer, her enemy.

"It's a hug Natsu."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do people hug?"

"Right now, are you feeling anything?"

"Y-yes. Comfort. I feel safe right now, holding you."

"There. That's why people hug."

He put his hand on her head, feeling her hair, holding her closer. He wished it could of been different. This girl...she made him feel so peculiar.

An hour later, Sting walked into the cave, where Lucy was lying on the floor, sleeping, and Natsu was looking down at her, sitting crosslegged.

"Natsu." Sting said.

"What?" Natsu asked, not averting his eyes.

"We've got prey. A group of people were walking up the mountain. We found a juicy girl." Sting said.

"So? What do I care?"

"We've decided you're gonna eat first." Sting said. Natsu shrugged.

"Sure, but usually capturer goes first, sure you don't mind missing your go?"

"Not at all. But feed." Sting said.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. You didn't touch the guy in the forest did you?"

"No."

"Okay." Natsu said, and turned back round.

"Any luck with finding out what she is?" Sting asked, sitting next to Natsu.

"No. She's adopted. And completely normal by the sound of it." He said. Sting nodded, and got up again.

"24 hours left." He said.

"Sure." Natsu sighed.

Lucy's eyes were shut tight, her mind buzzing, dreaming.

She was in a glass cage, she banged on all four walls, trying to get out, screaming, trying to do whatever she could against the walls, till she saw someone come closer to her.

"Natsu..." she sighed in relief.

"Come on. Get out, come out. Show me who you are." He said, taping the glass.

"I am human!" She yelled at him, slamming the glass. He laughed.

"Come on. Feel that rage inside you, that power." He said, putting his hand to his heart. "It burns huh?" He asked.

"Stop it!"

"It hurts and burns and tears you all up! Come on Lucy! Show me!" He yelled, putting both his hands on the glass.

"I AM HUMAN! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She shouted.

Lucy sat up, gasping for air, panting, her heart beating fast. She hated bad dreams, and all the aftermath they caused as well.

"What?" Natsu asked, sitting in front of her. She had forgotten that she had fallen asleep with him there.

"Bad dream, it's nothing. Do you dream?" She asked. Natsu shook his head.

"Nah, who needs dreaming?" He shrugged.

"Everyone." She said. They looked at each other, both trying to figure the other one out, until noises could be heard down the cave. "Whats that?" She asked.

"Damn...Lucy?" Natsu said.

"What?"

"Prey." He said. Lucy raised her eyebrows.

"No! No! Don't!" She shouted, and got up. Natsu sighed, and got up as well, ignoring her.

"When it burns down to it, I guss there is no human in me..." Natsu told himself, as the screams came closer. A woman's screams, fighting. Natsu could taste it. Damn...the feeling at the pit of his stomach made him go wild. His mouth salivated. Four weeks since he had fed... "Godamn...this one smells good..." he said, as Sting came closer. Lucy kept pulling.

"Don't!" She shouted again.

"But...she smells amazing...her spirit is one of a kind, so much energy, she's a fighter... she's like you. But wow..." Natsu licked his lips.

"It's repulsive!" She yelled. Natsu turned around.

"It's my life. The is my box, and this is what's inside. Piles of dead bodies, lifeless. That's what's inside my box." He said.

"Change it!" She yelled.

"Let me go!" Someone yelled, as she was pushed into the cave. Natsu walked over to the person, and pulled her up.

"Hello." He said.

"Oh god..." Lucy whispered, as she took a step back, her eyes widenened, horrified.

"Lucy!"

"Cana...why did you come up here?" Lucy said, as she feel to her knees, and tears fell down.

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**Did you like it? DID YOU?! DID YOU LIKE IIIITTTTT?!**

**Sorry.**

**Hope you enjoyed, much bisous :***


	7. Inhumane

**HI PERSONS! I am so sorry I didn't post on Saturday...I had no Wifi T_T. Also, this saturday I won't have Wifi either, so I will post twenty four hours earlier :) Hope you enjoy this chap, and sorry again for the lateness...**

* * *

PREY AND PREDATOR

~7-INHUMANE~

"Lucy! I am so happy to see you!" Cana smiled, as Natsu pulled her up by her hair.

"What?" He said.

"Please Natsu! Let her go!" She cried.

"Sting did this...he knew." Natsu said, and threw Cana on the floor, before walking out the mouth of the cave. Cana got up, and ran over to Lucy, hugging her.

"My god Lucy...I was so scared about you..." she said, squeezing her tighter.

"Cana you need to get out! Just run as fast as you can! Natsu and Sting will be fighitng, you can escape in that window, go!" Lucy shouted at her.

"I can't leave you here!" She yelled.

"You can! They can't feed off me!" She said."Please! Go!" Cana shook her head.

"No. You are coming with me little miss blondie." She said, and went to the shackles.

"Cana!" Lucy complained, but she heard the click of the shackles unlocking.

"Yay! I am a pro!" Cana laughed, as Lucy bought her hands to her face.

"Okay, thank you! Come on let's go!" Lucy shouted, and grabbed Cana's hand, they were at the entrance to the little cave, when something pushed them back in.

"No. Stay." Sting said.

"Shit!" Cana said.

"Where is Natsu?!" Lucy shouted.

"He is one of us, he isn't your friend." Sting said to Lucy.

"I know that! But he is the only one with some humanity in him!" She yelled. Sting stopped, and laughed.

"Hear that Natsu? Humanity! We aren't even humans and you say we have humanity!" Sting laughed harder.

"You bastard!" Cana shouted, and kicked him. Sting took a step back, dodging. He stopped laughing.

"You shouldn't of done that, bitch." He said.

"Cana don't." Lucy said.

"Who are you calling a bitch, fucker?" She said, walking up to him.

"You." He said, and kicked her in her stomach. Cana screamed, and flew at the wall, crashing against it, and falling down in a heap.

"Leave her!" Lucy yelled. Sting sighed.

"As for you..." he said, and took Lucy by her colar. "I've had enough of you." He said, and wrapped his two hands around her neck, holding her up. Lucy couldn't breath. She kicked her legs, an gagged, as she felt her mind haze up.

"Get off!" Someone shouted, and Lucy felt Sting's hand dissapear, and she fell to the ground, gasping, struggling to breath.

"Natsu!" Sting roared.

"I have another 24 hours with her!" Natsu yelled. He crouched down beside Lucy, keeping her from Sting, as she regained her breath. Sting snarled, as he wiped the blood from the cut in his lip.

"Natsu..." he sighed.

"Another 24." He said.

"Fine. Go on, feed off her." Sting said, pointing at Lucy. "I wanna see you actually are one of us, at least try to feed off the stubborn bitch." He said.

"No. Not with you there." Natsu said.

"Don't worry, I have my share." He said, and walked over to Cana.

"Leave her!" Lucy shouted, but Natsu took her, and put his hand over her mouth, stopping her from speaking.

"Hey..." Sting whispered, as he hitched Cana up onto his lap.

"Y-you..." she groaned, her head spinning.

"You seem...sad..." he said. "What sorrows do you have?" He asked. Cana was enraptured with his stare.

"I...I..." she was about to speak, but instead, cried.

"Shh...shhh...I am going too let you out." He whispered into her ear. Cana gasped.

"Really? with Lucy?" She asked. Sting nodded. Natsu sighed.

"Sorrow, counter-acted by happiness. I am sorry, Lucy." He whispered to her, as Lucy tried to kick out of his grip, a tear falling onto his hand, covering her mouth, as Sting held Cana's chin, and opened her mouth. A strange flow of blue light entered his mouth, as Cana's eyes rolled back, and her body became limp. Sting put her to the ground, keeping the distance between their mouths intact, as he fed off her.

"Sting! You're gonna finish her off!" Natsu shouted, still holding Lucy down, as she cried silently, not being able to mutter a single groan. Sting didn't react. His first meal in five weeks, he was starving, for all he cared, the others could get their own. Cana's arms were limp on the ground, and she wasn't moving. And then...the blue flow stopped.

Natsu felt a clod stab from inside, right in the pit of his heart. Sting had just murdered Lucy's friend in front of her eyes, and he was stopping her from even go to her dead body, try to fight him off. He felt disgusting. He felt repulsive. He was a monster. What he was doing? It was not normal.

It was inhumane.

"Wow...she was just... delectable!" Sting said, standing up, letting Cana's body fall. "Natsu, I'll leave you to it. The other's are gonna be pissed 'cause I had her all to myself." Sting sighed, and walked out the cave. Natsu waited for him to leve properly, and then, whispered to Lucy.

"Lucy...sorry..I am sorry, so sorry..." he said, as he let her go. She just fell to the ground. He expected her to rush to Cana, but she fell, and held her arm out to the brunette.

"S-she..." she croaked, as she got on her knees, and crawled to her. She cried, letting ot moans like a wounded creature, as she got on her knees, and pulled Cana onto her lap. She stroked her hair back, and closed her open mouth and eyes, rocking back and forth as she cried. She muttered Cana's name over and over, till one last final time, she yelled it, it reasonated throughout the caves. Her heart felt... felt...strange. whenever she wrote and had to write a death scene, she would make herself imagine it, and feel a wrenching sensation in her heart. But, knowing Cana was gone didn't do that. It wasn't saying the actual fact to herself that killed her, it was wondering what would come afterwards. 'Where will they take her body? Who shall I hang out with on Saturday nights? How can I tell her father...'

Lucy didn't react when Natsu took her shoulders, or pushed her away from Cana, and shackled her against the wall again. She just stayed sniffing, and staring at the ground, her mouth slightly open, and her heart in pieces.

"I'll kill him." She finally said, four hours later. "I will kill him." She swore, as she watched Sting carry Cana's body out of the cave. "YOU'LL DIE! YOU WILL DIE! I SWEAR!" Lucy yelled, thrashing against the chains. Natsu sighed.

"Lucy-"

"WHAT?! YOU ARE AS BAD AS THEM! YOU COULD OF STOPPED THEM! YOU ARE HORRIBLE!"she shouted at him. Natsu didn't react. He walked, and crouched down in front of her. She was right. He was living in a false illusion that he was just like her, or could be just like her, human. But truth is, you can't make something lose it's habits. He was being stupid, imagining he could run away from the cave in which he felt captive himself, and disguise hiself amongst humans...stupid...

"Fine." He said. "You're right. I am not a human, Lucy. I am a _dragon._" He said. "I will come back in ten minutes, and you will of calmed down, and I will feed off you till you are dead." He said, before getting up, and walking away. Lucy was left to her thoughts, and the feeling of Cana. She could still smell the lingering scent of acohol...

Lucy was on her knees. She felt dead, trapped in her mind, her mouth just open and her eyes red and puffy from crying. Never had she felt such misery, such despair. It engulfed her completely, and she just stayed there, still.

When Natsu came back, he grinned. The pain...the pain...the pain was so strong, he could feel her pain. He could feel her pain! He entered the cave, and went towards her.

"Why are you acting like a human again?" He asked her. She just stayed on the ground."How come I can feel you?" Natsu asked. She didn't answer. He gave a slight laugh, and crouched down in front of her.

He put his hand on her chin. "Do you think I'll be able to taste you?" He asked, Lucy didn't react. He sighed. "I guess I'll just have to try, huh?" He said, before he pushed her hair back, and placed a small kiss on her lips. Lucy didn't react. "Oh? It still works, you can feel pleasure from me." He said, before placing another small kiss on her lips. He pushed his lips harder against hers, and made her turn her head to face him. Natsu forced her mouth open with his lips, and suddenly, she was kissing him back. It surprised Natsu at first, but then, he felt more happy than he ever had. The strong emotions he had felt, that he was feeling, were leaving her. He was feeding off her. Natsu loved it, she was so nice, her emotions strong, having lived such a full life. He ran his hands down her arms, and pushed against her. What surprised him, was that Lucy was still kissing back. It started to scare him actually, her kissing became stronger, pushing him insted of him pushing her, he could still feel her emotions though, as he backed away, feeding him, but suddenly, they became strange, it was like...it was like...

"A-ah..." he said, as he went ot the floor, there mouths close. He didn't feel her emotions anymore, but she felt _his._

_His _emotions...hs emotions leaving his soul, making him weak, as he lay to the ground, Lucy over him. He heard the sound of breaking chains, and Lucy's hand were holding his face down. He couldn't move, she was making him weak, stopping him, as she fed of him. He felt light headed, as she closed the space between there lips, taking in more, and then, she gasped, and sat up. Natsu gasped in as well, out of breath, feeling weak.

Lucy was holding her head back, her eyes closed, breathing heavily, as she took in what she had taken from the man. She was not herself, she was someone else..._something _else. This thing could do anything, could break the hardest metal, could run the farthest race, could easily climb the highest mountain, and could take down the best predator. She bought her head forwards, her hair covering her face partially, as she looked down at the prey she had caught. She laughed, as she saw the scared look on his face, but he was trapped under her... she pushed his head down to the ground, leaning over him, laughing at her triumph, and loving the feeling she was experiencing...it was a drug. She opened his mouth again, and approached hers, and the flow of her drug started again, making him struggle breathing.

Lucy was enfatuated by him, so much she didn't notice when the man bought his hand up, and slaped her away, making her fall to the ground. She growled, and got to her feet again. Natsu recognised her stance, one hand on the ground, helping her hold herself up, her legs bent, giving her a faster chance of getting to him, and her other crisped, fingers immobile. It was the same stance Wendy had when he had found her.

It was the stance of a untamed dragon, ready to attack.

"Lucy...it's me..." Natsu said, as he put his hand up, and crouched to the ground, getting smaller than her. He understood her animal instincts, having been there. Lucy relaxed, and stood up straight. Natsu knew she wasn't herself at all, she was another person entirely. He walked towards her, slowly, as she precautiously stepped back. "It's me...come on...relax..." he said slowly. He saw her eyes flutter, and then she fell to the ground. Natsu swore, and rushed to her side. He held her head up, and put his head against her chest, trying to feel her emotions more clearly. He sighed in relief, she was her again. He held her closer to him, and sighed.

"Who are you...?" He asked. Human, yet...how could she feed off him?

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**Ooooooooooooo! I hope you are enjoying!**

**NEXT CHAPTER! I can't do a gripping resume without spoiling... so I shall just say... **

**8-THE RETURN**


	8. The Return

**Here is an extra chapter this week to make up for last weeks lateness, hope you enjoy ;)**

* * *

PREY AND PREDATOR

~8-THE RETURN~

When Lucy woke up, it felt like she had woken up from a long dream. Then she understood why her slumber had been interupted. Natsu was unchaining her wrists.

"Lucy." He whispered.

"W-what?" She asked, dazed.

"Come on. We are leaving." He said. He placed his finger against her lips. "Shhh...they are sleeping." He said.

"Natsu? Why?" She asked, as he helped her up.

"You don't remember?" He whispered, as he picked her up in his arms.

"Remember what?" She asked. He sighed.

"There is no way I can answer the others about what you are in two hours. I can't let you die anyway, so I have no choice but to run away with you." He said.

"W-what?" She asked, as he walked to the entrance.

"Hold on, I run fast." He said, before he ran. Lucy could feel the wind billowing through her hair, but it was to dark to see exactly how fast they were running.

"Cana.." she whispered, remembering. and then, she saw light.

"Okay, come on Lucy, run, I can't carry you any longer." He said, as he put her down, they were on the mountains. Lucy looked around. It was day break. "Run!" Natsu shouted. Lucy ran, like she had the first time she escaped. Natsu was just ahead of her, jumping over boulders, as agile as a montain lion.

They reached the edge of the forest, and, puffed out, Lucy stopped.

"Come on!" Natsu shouted at her.

"Natsu I have been running for a whole hour!" She said, puffing."Why don't you start by explaining why you are suddenly acting like we are comerades?!" She said, as he walked towards her, and put his hand on her diaphram.

"I can't give them an answer about who and what you are Lucy, they will kill you. I can't let that happen." He said, as he put his other hand on her back, and forced her to stand up straight. "Stand up properly, you'll breath better." He said. Lucy nodded.

"Fine...why don't you want me to die?" She asked, and looked into his eyes. Natsu stared back, his eyes... Lucy marveled at them, so dark...so black, yet a rim of olive green surrounded them, behind the dark was him...

"You know why." He said, his voice low.

"Tell me." She said, putting her hand over his, on her diaphram. He closed his eyes.

"No. You tell me. Why can I see that? Why is it _pretty_?" He asked, and pointed at a butterfly, a swallow tail. Lucy followed it with her eyes.

"It just...is." she said, as it landed right in front of her. She approached it closely, getting her face right up close to it, till it flapped it's wings, making Lucy jump, and fall back. She frowned. "Damn butterfly." Natsu looked down at her, scared of a butterlfy, some of it's wing powder had gone onto her nose. His mouth twitched upwards.

"Clumsy." He said. Lucy looked up at him.

"Shut up. And don't pretend we are friends!" She said, and got up. "Natsu?" She asked, as she wiped her nose.

"Mhm?" He said.

"Won't they be able to sense you?" She asked.

"Well...that's another weird thing I need too talk to you about, but no." He smiled at her. Lucy looked at him, at him smiling... he had only smiled at her when he made fun of her, feeding or something, but never out of...friendship...

"Let's walk then." She said, and sighed in content, looking up through the trees. "Ah.." she sighed. "It's beautifull!"

"Yes..." Natsu said, looking at Lucy, her arms outstretched. Her clothes had changed from the first time she came there, obviously the old man had given her his grandaughter's old ones. She was in a delicate light pink top, and light blue shorts. She would of looked perfect if it wasn't for the cuts and scars in her legs and arms, and her messy greasy hair. Natsu loved the way she admired the nature, every tiny detail of it...

On the way down, she showed him a flower, a little blue flower, with a tinge of purple in it.

"This-" she said, holding it up to him. "-is a forget-me-not." She said.

"A whaty what what?" He said, taking the flower, and sniffing it. He sneezed.

"Forget-me-not. They are cute, huh?" She asked.

"Hm..." Natsu said. He looked at Lucy, then the flower. He took the flower, and put it in her hair. "Yeah, I guess it is." He said, proud of the blush she had on her cheeks, and walked away.

The evening came, and the forest was becoming less thick, paths more obvious.

"What are we gonna do?" Natsu asked her.

"I live on the outskirts of the forest. We can go to my house, and then you need to wash. Have you ever washed?" She asked.

"We don't have showers up their Lucy. Plumbing is limited." He said. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"How do you know what a shower is then?"

"I here stuff, when hunting." He said.

"What? You've never been in human society before?" She asked. Natsu shook his head.

"Well...it's a long story. For another time." He sighed, and then turned to her. "It's nightfall soon. Where is your house?" He asked..

"Soon." She said, and continued walking.

An hour or so later, they arrived at a fence.

"What's this?" Natsu asked.

"This is the fence that seperates the forest from the deforestated part. We will see my back fence soon, juts climb over this." She said. She jumped over it, and Natsu followed suit. "There it is." Lucy said, showing the fence twenty meters away. She sighed, and then, sniffed.

"Lucy? Are you crying?" He asked her. She turned around, and indeed, tears were silently running down her cheeks.

"Natsu..you have no idea how this feels...I never thought I would see my house again, or my friends, or...I won't see Cana again though..." she said, and cried.

"I am so sorry..." he said. He felt awkward, not really knowing what to do. What did usual people do? What would a human do? What would _he _do?

Natsu wrapped his arms around her, and held her against him. She didn't push back. He sighed, and breathed in...the smell of fresh grass engulfed him, and he looked up. Stars were showing up everywhere, shining dappled light onto them. He gave a slight smile. It was...

Beautiful.

Lucy opened the back gate of the fence. She let Natsu in after her.

"Come on...quiet...the neighbours will be sleeping..." she whispered. Natsu nodded. He felt somewhat...nerouvs of the house. She walked through the back garden, there were apple and cherry trees, and a concrete area, where a table and chairs were. She went under a flower pot, and bought out a small key. She went to the glass doors, and opened it. She laughed, as she walked in.

"Am I glad to be home..." she said, smiled like she had never before, and sighed. Natsu just stayed at the entrance. "Well come on!" She smiled, as she took his hand and pulled him in.

"Hey!" He said, as she closed the door behind him.

"Haha! I am home!" She said, and pirouetted. "Lights!" She said, and went over to a switch. "Camera!" She said, and walked over to the stereo, tunring the music on. She laughed, and walked to Natsu. "Action!" She said, and took his hands, making him twirl.

"Stop!" He said. "Lucy we are still in a serious situation." He said, and stopped her.

"Oh Natsu.." She sighed. "I am sure somewhere behind that composed hunter face of yours is a little boy wishing he was having fun. Come on! Oh..." she said, and grinned evily.

"What?" He asked.

"I just remembered." She said.

"What?!" Natsu shouted.

"I have some of Gray's old clothes he gave me for sewing..you two seem like you would be the perfect size. You are gonna have a shower, and brush your hair..." she said, ruffling her hands through his greasy mess.

"Don't wanna." He said, and sat on a sofa. "Wow...this is damn comfy." He said. Lucy squealed. "What?!" He shouted, worried.

"I get to sleep in a bed for the first time in five weeks!" She screamed, and jumped into Natsu's arms. "Have you ever ever felt the pleasure of sleeping in a bed?" She asked him. Natsu shook his head. "My god you haven't lived!" She said. "Go on, shower." She said, and took his hand, leading him to the bathroom. She showed him how to work the taps, but he was distracted by something else...

"Is this me?" He asked, walking to the mirror. Lucy giggled slightly.

"Never seen your reflection?" She asked.

"Only in water...never as...detailed as this..." he said. He bared his teeth. "Woah...pointy..." he said, sliding his tongue across his canines.

"Hmmm.." Lucy said.

"What?" Natsu asked. "Hold on...oh." He said, as he pushed the hair that covered his eyes out of the way. "Oh." He said, and wiped some dirt of his face. "I really am dirty." He said.

"Yes." She said. "Come on, have a shower." She said. She sighed, turned around, and yelped. "H-hey, why are you shirtless Natsu? Wait for me to get out would you?" She said, and blushed. His arms and chest were so muscly...

"Look." He said, and pointed at his back.

"Mhm?" Lucy said, trying to avert her eyes, yet not achieving.

"Scars. Scars eveyrwhere." He said. Lucy sighed, and waked over to him.

"Achy back?" She asked.

"Huh? What?" He said, turning around. Lucy rolled her eyes, and turned him around again. She put her hands on his back, and slid them up. She closed then around his shoulders, and pressed, rubbing upwards.

"This, is heaven when someone does it right, and thankfully for you, I do it right." She said, and felt Natsu's muscles loosen. He sighed.

"Wow..." he said, and sighed. Lucy smiled, and moved down to his lower back, follwing the line of his muscles, pushing hard against him, and rubbing in slow circles. Natsu sighed out again.

"Come on...shower." she said, and patted his back.

"But! Continue!" He moaned.

"No." Lucy laughed. "Go on, shower." She said. Natsu sighed, as Lucy walked out.

She went into her bedroom, and smiled. It was just as she had left it, and never, ever, had she been so pleased to see it...

Natsu sighed, as the hot water trailed down his body, decontracting his muscles... This wasn't normal. Lucy was being way too friendly all of a sudden with him, playing around with him, after what he had done. She wasn't normal. Not to mention she forgot about...when she fed off him...

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**Done, sorry this chapter was kind of bad, but next week is:**

**CHAPTER 9-HUMANITY**


	9. Humanity

**Hey bros and sis'! Back at you with chapter 9! I hope you enjoy**

**Right now I am lying in bed with purple dye in my hair, and I am once again ruining my covers.**

**My mother will kill me.**

**You shall never get chapter 10...sorry...**

**ENJOY!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~9-HUMANITY~

"I put clothes in the spare bedroom. First door to your right when you come out." Lucy said through the door of the bathroom. There was no reply. She guessed he was probably marveling over soap and shampoo. She laughed at the thought, and went into the kitchen.

"Food..." she sighed. "Makes a change from whatever rancid water and icky bread they were giving me..." she smiled, as she went to her fridge, and found peanut butter. She put two slices of toast in the toaster, and waited for them to pop out. She put her hand to her stomach, she had been hungry for the past five weeks, but yet...she didn't feel _that _hungry at that present moment. She shrugged it off, and waited for the toast.

"Lucy?" Natsu asked, as he walked into the kitchen.

"Mhm?" Lucy said, and tuned around, before staring at him. He had black jeans on, and a red t-shirt. "W-wow..." she whispered.

"What?" He asked her. She smiled at him.

"Nothing. Brush your hair." She said.

"I don't know how to brush my hair..." he muttered. Lucy looked back at him.

"What?!" She shouted.

"I said I don't know how to brush my hair!" He said louder. Lucy stopped, and there was silence, till she couldn't hold in any longer. She laughed, making Natsu angry. "HEY! Have you lived in a cave for the best part of your life?" He shouted. Lucy laughed.

"Sorry..." she said, and stopped. "Hey, are you actually embarrased?" She asked, seeing the angry blush on his cheeks.

"No." He said, looking away. Lucy smiled.

"Come on, I'll brush it, maybe someday someone will see your eyes..." she mocked, flicking his hair out of his eyes. She led him into the bathroom again, and stood him in front of the mirror.

"I hate this..." He sighed, as she grabbed a brush from the sink.

"Hate what?" She said.

"Being a stranger to all of this. I've heard music before, but I don't know where it comes from. I have been in a house before, but a long time ago. I feel...like a kid..." he sighed. Lucy smiled.

"Don't worry. I hate this as well." She said, and brushed. He swore, as it caught on nots.

"Ow! Hate what?" He asked, as she ignored him, and continued brushing.

"Hate this thing between us. What are we? Are you still going to try and feed on me? Am I still just prey to you?" She sighed, and turned him to face her, as she brushed the strands of hair covering his eyes to the side.

"Lucy...I haven't told you about something that happened..." He said.

"When you fed on me. Then I blacked out. Is that what happens when you feed off people? They black out?" She asked.

"N-no...usually they just feel weak, if we don't finish them." He said. "But...I started feeding on you, I could taste you, and usually I can stop kissing my prey there, but you... you kept on kissing me, not becoming weaker, you became stronger, and then...it was my 'emotions' leaving me. You fed off me, and acted like one of us." He said. Lucy looked at him, her mouth open.

"B-but..." she said, and took a step back. The brush fell to the ground. She took another step back, and ran out of the bathroom.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted after her. "Tsch..." he sighed, realising she was gone. He bent down, and picked up the brush.

Lucy had her head in the pillows. Her exploding head. No way! No way could she ever be...one of them... she was human! She ate food!

"Hey..." Natsu's voice said at the door. She didn't answer. He sighed, and walked in. "Come on. Don't be a grump." He said, and sat down next to her.

"A grump?! You've just told me I fed of you and you are calling me a grump?!" She shouted. He grinned.

"I am just trying to lighten the situation here." He said. He brushed her tears away. "And to answer your question, we are friends. If you want us to be, and I will help you anyway to find out who and what you are." He said. She smiled.

"Friends?" She asked.

"Friends." He nodded.

"A purely platonic relationship?"

"What?" Natsu asked, confused. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I mean that just because we have kissed mutliple times doesn't mean we are more than friends." Lucy said.

"Don't friends kiss?" Natsu asked, as Lucy got up.

"What? Where did you get that idea from? More tree-stalking?" Lucy laughed.

"Well, sometimes I see people kissing, and I do it to give pleasure, and this people were happy after they kissed, or during kissing, so isn't just like a hug?" Natsu asked. Lucy laughed.

"Your view of the world..." she laughed. "Let me have a shower and then I'll explain it to you. And we can probably watch a film." She said, and went of to the bathroom. "Behave." She said, and left Natsu in her room. He sighed, and looked around. There were pictures of people around her room, a blue haired girl, a black haired boy, and one large one, of everyone that must be her friend, and herself, all standing in a line, laughing. Natsu sighed, he wished he could understand humanity...

He went downstairs, and sat on the sofa, waiting for Lucy to come back, and when finally all the noise from the bathroom stopped, and he heard the door open, he grinned.

"Took you thirty minutes." He said, after looking away from the clock at the wall.

"Well I'm sorry, I haven't had a shower in five weeks." She said. Natsu turned around, and was speechless. Never had he seen someone as beautiful as her. Now she had a shower, her hair was bright, and soft by the looks of it. The remaining trails of blood and stone grazes were gone, leaving her skin pale and clear, and her cheeks had a light blush to them. And to top it all off, she had a violet dress on, making her look amazing.

"Is that shower magic or what?" He asked, when finally his eyes had got mildy used ot the sight. Lucy laughed.

"Sometimes I wonder myself." She said, and sat down on the sofa. "Come on, I want to show you a film." She smiled.

"What's a film?" Natsu asked.

"So you can read time, but you don't know what a film is?" Lucy laughed. "It's a form of entertainment, and hopefully you will understand love between people."

"I know what love is! It's enjoying something. Don't treat me like an idiot." He said. Lucy smiled at him.

"You still don't understand, go on, sit." She said, and went and put a DVD in the player.

"What." Natsu said, as she put the screen on. "How?"

"Television." She laughed, as she sat down on the sofa. She rested her head on his shoulder. Natsu looked down at her, and couldn't shake the lingering thought he had since they left...how would he feed?

"Lucy...I am-"

"Shh. Watch it." She said. Natsu sighed, and rested his head on Lucy's, enjoying the smell of her shampoo. He enjoyed the way she was so at ease with him, despite everything... he closed his eyes, and remembered the girl who had told him to burn in hell, and now, here she was...sitting by him... but...maybe the ease she was feeling, the way she was acting, so happy, was just to do with her feeding off him...

"Lucy, please here me out, I am really, really-"

"Natsu, just watch the film." She said.

"I am hungry. I haven't eaten in six weeks. Apart from that time when I tasted you..." he said, and sighed. Lucy paused the film.

"What can I do to help?" She asked.

"I have a theory. You are obviously one of us-"

"I can't be. I have survived eighteen years on human food." She said.

"Then some of you is. We don't have emotions like humans...they aren't matter, we have to build up our own emotional range, and once we do, it's unlimited. Lucy I think somewhere inside you, you have something like that." He said. Lucy sighed.

"You want to try and feed off me." She said.

"Yes, but-"

"That involves hurting me." She said.

"No..." Natsu sighed, he moved his shoulder, and Lucy looked up at him. "Lucy I would never hurt you again. These emotions that we have, they are like blank pages, like as if one piece of paper could be drawn on with whichever emotion. If you just focus on pain, then it will come. And then I just have to contradict it to eject it out of your system."

"But I thought you couldn't feed off your own?" She asked.

"You fed off me. We aren't the same species." He said, and stroked her cheek quickly. She looked down at the ground.

"Okay..."

"Thank you." He said, and turned to face her.

'So...how do make emotions?" She asked. Natsu smiled.

"Listen to what I say. Now close your eyes..." he said, his voice low, and his hands on hers. She did so, frowning slightly. "Relax, Lucy."

"I can't." She said. He laughed gently.

"Yes you can. You are home, and no bad will ever come of you again. Just relax, and let your emotions flow." He said. Lucy's frown relaxed, and Natsu felt her emotions. She was nervous, yet curious. But not scared. He smiled to himself. "Okay, now just concentrate on that feeling you get when you cut yourself." Natsu said.

Lucy nodded, and clenched Natsu's hands more. He smiled, and felt it.

"Okay, now, just picture those blank pages floating around inside you. Do you see them?" He asked. Lucy nodded. "Excelent. Your pain is ink, now let it spread across one of those pages." He said, and then, he sensed it, the emotions that he only got from one of his kind. It became more potent, and Natsu's breathing became quicker, as he felt the hunger tug at him.

"Natsu?"Lucy squeaked. He felt her human fear.

"Sorry." He said, hungrily staring at her closed eyes. "Okay, I am going to contradict it now, just keep your emotions flowing, I can feel them." He said, and put his hand on her cheek. He could already feel the enjoyment in it, and to him, enjoyment was love, she loved it. He placed his lips on hers, and gave her pleasure, pleasure which he felt, and then, the flowing taste of pain. The taste he had missed so much, and with Lucy's background taste, it made it even more bittersweet. He put his other hand on her waist, and psuhed her down, Lucy let him, feeling strange, like as if an extra part of her was leaving. She didn't feel weak like she thought she would, just...nice...

"Natsu..." she whispered, making little waves in the blue energy.

"Shh.." he said, as he held her mouth open, and put his legs on either side of her. Lucy kept her eyes closed, but wanted to find his hands again. She felt better...with him, not just with him feeding off her, but when he was there, telling her he was there.

Natsu felt her yearning, although he didn't know what for. Was he causing so much pleasure she wanted it to coninue even past the feeding? But she said just because of the kissing, it didn't mean they were more...

"You're confused." Lucy whispered, once again, making irregularities in how the energy flowed. Natsu stroked his hands through her hair, not wanting the flow to stop. Lucy was breathing quicker, as Natsu put one of his hands on her thigh, lifting her dress up. "Natsu." She said, and pushed it down.

"Mhm?" He asked, as she turned her head to the side, breaking the connection. He frowned at her, but didn't move.

"Too much...you're already causing enough pleasure as it is, don't...do that." She said, the blush that she had when she had pleasure on her cheeks. Natsu sighed.

"So? What is the problem?" He asked. " I haven't eaten in six weeks-"

"And you were contradicting the pain! You didn't have to start touching me everywhere!" Lucy said, trying to get Natsu off her.

"I just wanted to, I don't know. It felt right." He said. Lucy looked up at him, her mouth slightly open.

"I want to get out please." She said.

"Lucy..." Natsu sighed.

"Now." She said. Natsu got off the couch, and let Lucy up.

"What did I do wrong?" He asked.

"You have no concept of love." She sighed.

"Enjoyment. You enjoyed that. Therefore you loved it." He said.

"Natsu! Love is more than enjoyement!" Lucy said. "Love is more than friendship, it's when two people...when they want to spend the rest of their lives together, make a family, get married, and die together. Why do you think your parents had you?" Lucy asked.

"They didn't know I would be what I am. That's why." Natsu said.

"No...because they wanted something to represent their love, someone to bring up together." Lucy said. "People kiss to show each other they love each other, not as friends. Friends don't kiss. Lovers do." Lucy said. "That's why we need to set boundaries. Kissing for feeding is fine. But...but not like what you did." Lucy said. Natsu sighed.

"So since we are friends, we don't kiss?" He asked. Lucy nodded.

"Hungry?" She asked. Natsu sighed.

"No...thank you though. I am here if you ever wanna feed off me." He said. Lucy laughed.

"Natsu, I really doubt I will ever-" Lucy was interupted in her words, as she collapsed onto the ground.

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled, and ran over to her. She had fallen over, and was boiling. He pulled her up onto his lap, and placed two fingers to her neck...just like 'he' had told him to do in situations like these. Her heart was frantic, jumping all over the place. He picked her up in his arms, ad walked up the stairs to her room. "Hey...are you awake?" He asked her, as he placed her on her bed. She was pale, and her skin was moist.

Natsu didn't know what to do, suddenly, she had collapsed. He rested his head against her chest, and tried to listen for her emotions, but still nothing. He sighed, and thought to try one thing. A newborn needed one thing...a lot of food... Wendy devoured entire families to begin with. He tilted her head gently to the side. "Which emotions do you eat..." he sighed, but closed his eyes. One blank paper, just put all the emotions on...

Natsu put his thumb on her bottom lip, and spread her lips apart. He didn't make contact, but concentrated on letting his emotions out. The flow wasn't being taken, and Natsu was already fealing slightly weak. He sighed, and kissed her gently.

All of a sudden Lucy's hands were on his cheeks, holding him in place, kissing him hungrily, making him feel excited yet scared. They rolled off the bed, Lucy on top of him.

"L-Lucy!" Natsu gasped, as she seperated their lips. The flow was being forced out of his mouth. He opened his eyes. Lucy's eyes were enitrely blue, even her pupil, like as if she had lost control. She didn't let go of his emotions, and continued feeding. She was unstoppable, holding Natsu's arms down, and she rocked her hips, Natsu wanted to put his hands on her waist, but no, he couldn't. She was holding him down. He couldn't have this... He knew how to communicate with newborns, purely animals... he looked up at her, straight in the eyes, and didn't break the glare, despite his heart and breaths struggling with the flow being forced out of him.

"N-Natsu?" Her voice asked again, the flow stopped.

"Ah!" He said, gasping in, and letting his eyes closed.

"Natsu!" She shouted, and got off him, staying next to him instead. She put her hand to her lips. "What?"

"Ah...you...fed off me...ah..." he gasped. Lucy turned pale, as her chocolate brown eyes widened. She had caused Natsu to be reduced to gasping and feeling weak... she had become the predator...

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**End ^^ **

**NEXT CHAPTER!**

**~10-BLOSSOM~**

**Sunrise, love, friends, and the return of a friend? Or enemy?**


	10. Blossom

**Hey peoplez. Here is another chapter ^^ hope you enjoy!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~10-BLOSSOM~

"I what?" Lucy whispered, as Natsu sat up against the wall, with difficulty, like as if he had fought. He clutched his heart.

"You...you fed off me." He said.

"No..that's-I eat human food!" She shouted, but then gasped. Natsu noticed, and gave a sarcastic smile.

"Yeah, you can feel what I'm feeling, right? Strange, isn't it." He said.

"Y-you're wary of me...yet you want to protect me..." she whispered. Natsu nodded.

"Lucy, you fainted, you had a fever, and your heart beat was sky high. Hunger. Newborn dragons, they have to eat a lot. Both times when you have fed off me, you have behaved exactly like a newborn." He said. "Help me get up please." He said.

"S-sure." Lucy said, got up, and then held out her hand. Nasu took it.

"Damn...what is it with you? Why am I so weak when you feed off me? You can have every single emotion...what are you..." he said.

"Confused is what I am. Can't you feel?" She asked.

"Not anymore." He said. "Ah!" He said, and took his heart.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried out, and held him up.

"You took...more than I thought you would..." He said.

"What if you feed of me?" She asked, as he sat down on her bed.

"No, it doesn't work like that." He sighed. "Lucy, try eating human food." Natsu ordered. She nodded, and ran down the stairs. She grabbed an apple, and bit into it. The sweet taste made her mouth water, and she swallowed.

"It's fine. I can eat it fine." She said, as she walked back upstairs.

"I don't understand..." he sighed. Lucy stood there for a while.

"I...I want to know the nutritional values emotions have on you. And on me, and human food for you, and human food for me." She said. Natsu frowned.

"You just spoke a foreign language." He said. Lucy sighed.

"Come with me." She said, and took his hand, pulling him up.

"Ouch..." he said, and held his head.

"Sorry..." Lucy said. He grinned at her. She lead him downstairs, to a small room which had a desk and numerous book shelves. "I am studying astronomy, but I had to study general sciences as well to be able to do physics. So I know quite a lot of biooligy and how the body works. You seem pretty human, so I am guessing your organs are in the same layout." She said.

"Wait wait. Don't dissect me." He said. Lucy looked round at him, and laughed.

"Dissect you!? Natsu I am not some mad scientist."**stein's gate reference right there. Sorry back to the fic** She laughed. He sighed.

"Okay." He said. Lucy walked over to one shelf, and bought out a book, laying it on the desk.

"Look." She said, poiting. "These are the nutritional values of an orange." She said. "And these are the nutritonal values for a sugary treat. Now if you look at what a human needs, the orange would be better for them than the sugray treat. I want to know what nutritions you need, and what emotions give you." She said.

"How the hell do you plan to do that?" He asked. She had a slight glint in her eyes.

"Why, starve you of course!" She said. Natsu looked strangely at her. "And also...my friend... she wants to become a general practitian. A doctor. She could probably run some blood test to see how it develops, and what your blood contains-"

"What, your friend? Was she at the campsite with you?" Natsu asked.

'Yeah...Levy..." Lucy said. Her friends... she had a fleeeting image of Cana, and..

"Sue, you can do all those things, under one condition." Natsu said.

"Hm?"

"I want you to find out who your parents are. We need to ask them about you." He said. But Lucy had walked to the window.

"Look, sunrise again." She said. "Come." She ordered, and she walked to the back doors. Natsu followed her, as she went outside, but he stayed back. The blossom from the apple and cherry trees was falling, around her, as she walked out into her back garden. The orange light threw her into a heavenly picture. Natsu could of just stood there, and watched her for ever. He enjoyed watching her...he...loved watching her.

"Come on!" She smiled, indicating him to come over. "You want to be a part of humanity, right?" She asked. Natsu grinned, and walked next to her.

"I told you, didn't I? Since I met you...things are becoming..."

"Beautiful." Lucy said, looking up at the sunrise.

"Yeah." Natsu said. He turned his head to her. "Beautiful."

"I am happy, Natsu." She said, and found his hand. She took it, and held onto it.

"Lucy..." he whispered. He put his oher hand on her cheek, and turned her head slowly, she looked slightly confused, her mouth gently parted, as Natsu kissed her. He had never really apreciated her soft delicate lips, her scent, or her touch. He broke their kiss, and looked at her. Never had he kissed without wanting to feed. And...he had kissed her...

"What was that?" She asked, as she slipped her hand out if his.

"A kiss." He said.

"Why?" She asked, taking a step away.

"Because I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be more than a simple friend to you. You already have lots of friends. I don't, but I know if I did, you would be the thing that mattered most to me. You are the thing that matters most to me!" He said, as she took a step back.

"Stop." She said.

"Lucy!"

"I don't trust your judgment. You can't understand love with such two dimesional thinking as that." She said, and walked back inside. Natsu sighed, and looked up to the sky.

"Stop laughig at me." He said, cursing the pink clouds. He walked back inside.

"Sorry." He said, Lucy was in the kitchen randomly sorting stuff out.

"Are you tired?" She asked.

"Yes." He said.

"Okay. Help yourself to the guest room. I am off to sleep." She said.

"Okay."

"Alright, good night. I mean morning. Oh whatever." She said, and walked up the stairs. Natsu sighed, and looked aound the room one last time. He went over to the mantelpiece, and looked at the pictures on it. More pictures of friends, some with her, some without. But one intrigued him a lot. It was of a much younger Lucy hugging a brown haired girl, they must of both been around five or so. The brown haired girl... she looked a lot like the girl who Sting had bought up... He put his finger on her face, trying to rememeber her name.

"Cana. Sorry, I will look after her." He said. He looked out to the grass outside. "George, and Melissa. Sorry." He said. He regretted every single person he had fed off. Every single one.

Morning became afternoon, and Lucy awoke with the sound of children playing outside, she yawned, and sat up, happy. They would go and see Levy this afternoon, to take blood tests. Lucy got up, and went to her wardrobe.

"Nothing beats the luxury of clothes..." she smiled, as she settled for a turquoise blouse and a black skirt. Once she was dressed, she went and nocked on Natsu's door.

"Hmm?" His voice came from inside. Lucy thought about last night...

"Hey, how long have you been awake?" She asked through the door.

"Twenty minutes. You can come in." He said. She smiled, and walked in. He was standing at the window, looking out. The kids were playing outside, on bicycles.

"Cute, aren't they?" Lucy asked.

"Yes." He said. He seemed dazed.

"Hey Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"Mh?"

"Tell me about your past." She said. He sighed, and paused a moment.

"I am a special kind of...dragon. Wendy, Gajeel and I are from the first generation. We are born from humans. That's how our kind started. A sort of virus, that infected us before we were even born." He said. "But, it's the food chain. Humans are overpopulating earth. What would mather nature do? Creat predators for them. I was born nineteen years ago, on the Twentieth of July." He said.

"You're nineteen years old?" Lucy asked. Natsu nodded.

"My mother and father didn't understand why I wouldn't react to anything as a child. Nothing at all. You see, our emotional range is built over time. I told you didn't I?" He asked her.

"Yeah..."

"So they asked doctors and a lot of specialists what was my problem. I was three when _he _came." Natsu said. "He came for Gajeel and I."

"Who is he?"

"Our savior. He told my parents I had an ilness that required special treatment. And took me away." Natsu said.

"Hold on, you spen hree years of your life living off nothing?" Lucy asked.

"We only really begin to become ourselves at four, when our first emotions are created, and that's when it starts." Natsu said. He sat on his bed. "This man bought me to his house. An amazing mansion, but only he lived there. I already knew most stuff, I was an itteligent kid, but he taught me more. He told me about my true nature, and he found what emotion I could have and how to counteract in. And in consecence I could rarely feed. I didn't have the knowledge I have know to give easy pleasure. I had to torture them so much that when it was over they felt pleasure. But it took me days. When I was fourteen, he said I was old enough to give easy pleasure. And then, when the time came, he said it was time for me to join the others. He bought me up to the cave, and I met Gajeel. There was someone else there. He was the first of us. Acnalogia, but...something happened to him. A victim escaped, and told the city about him. Naturaly, nobody believed them, but a small group went up and killed Acnalogia. A year later I was sent to find Wendy. She was four when I met her, her parent's hadn't gone to see anyone about her, and she went crazy having to discover how to feed herself. She kiled her parents, although she doesn't remember anything now. Then Sting and Rogue came. They came of free will, they are born from our kind, over in Europe, but they wanted to live with kids their own age. The luck they have..." Natsu said.

"Wow..." Lucy said. "I thought I had it tough. Where were you born?" She asked. Natsu laughed.

"On a sunny island." He said.

"Serioulsy?"

"No. I don't know. How do you expect me to know? Ba...whatever." he sighed, got up, and walked downstairs. Lucy sighed, and looked out his window again. The children continued playing, ignorant of the monsters the mountain held.

"We are going to see Levy today. My doctor friend." Lucy told Natsu.

"Okay." He said.

"You have shoes right?" She asked, not remembering seeing him with boots or anything in the caves, and not wanting too. Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Of course I do." He said, and picked up a scratched messed up pair of leather, what looked like army boots.

"Stylish." Lucy said sarcastically at the black leater mess. "Put them on. We're going." Lucy said, and went downstairs. She grabbed her keys, and waited for Natsu downstairs. He had his black sleevless jacket in his hands.

"Shame. I'll miss you." He said, and threw it onto the couch. Lucy smiled, and rolled her eyes.

"Come on. Don't freak out, but this city is pretty big."

"Shit..." Natsu sighed.

"What?" Lucy asked.

"Okay, you are in a bakery with no baker, an array of the most delicious treats ever, you know you shouldn't, but when you see the most perfectly delicious...um...starwberry thing, you break. So you better hold me back if we walk across someone with emotions as good as yours." He said to her.

"Why starwberries?" Lucy asked. Natsu frowned at her.

"Is that all you have to say?'

"Yeah, why starwberries? They are my faviroute." She said.

"I know. You smell of strawberries and vanilla." He said,and walked to what he presumed was the front door.

"I'll hold you back, don't worry." Lucy said. She opened the door and the laughing children sounded louder. Natsu bit his lip, sensing the young innocent emotions...

"Natsu." Lucy said. She had her eyes closed. "I am feeling your emotions. Stop." She said sternly. Natsu tore his eyes away from the young humans and nodded. They walked through the quiet neighbourhood, Lucy guiding him so they avoided the crowded areas.

"Where is it?" Natsu asked.

"Other side of town. We have to take the bus."

"The bus? What's the bus?"

"Commmunal transport. A lot of people." Lucy said. Natsu groaned.

"Walk." He said.

"No. Bus. Unless you want to arrive there at midnight."

"Sure. Let's arrive there at midnight." He said. Lucy sighed. She took his hand.

"Concentrate on my emotions, okay?"

"I can't feel them!" He growled.

"Just imagine!" She shouted back. They walked out onto the avenue, people bustling in all corners, sounds of car horns, dogs barking. Natsu gasped, he was...scared. he couldn't hear anything with so much going on, all the scents, all the emotions, it was too much, too much noise, he looked all around, Lucy's hand had slipped out of his, and he was scared, he closed his eyes, and held his breath.

"Hey." A voice said right beside his ear. He opened his eyes, single out her voice, her scent, imagining her emotions.

"Lucy." He said.

"Come on. Ignore them. They aren't here." She said. He nodded, straigtened up, and looked at her. He focused everyting on her. "Come on. Our bus." She said.

They got to the bus stop, Lucy thankful it wasn't as crowded as usual. The bus came, and they got on, and sat down.

"No." Natsu whispered. He felt his heart race, the pain in his stomach and throat.

"What?"Lucy asked.

"That brunette with the short hair." He said, pointing to a woman the other side of the bus. "She's got so much pain already. Terminal illness." He said. Lucy looked at her.

"Natsu." She said. Natsu's hand were clamped hard down on hers. "Don't."

"I'm not." He said, his eyes on the woman. He closed them, inhailed, and breathed out. "But I'm hungry..." he whispered. He got up. Lucy pulled him back down.

"Stop." She said, and yanked his colar towards her. She kissed him, letting out the pain she had created. Natsu was immersed by her, and couldn't feel anyone else. Their mouths didn't seperate as they usually would, so the blue flow wouldn't show. People on the bus turned their heads away, at what looked like a passionate kiss. Natsu put his hand on her cheek, and pushed her slightly away, telling her he understood. She stopped giving, and slowly, they leant away from each other.

"Better?" Lucy whispered, noticing he had his eyes fixed on her, not the brunette.

"Better." He said, and smiled at her. Lucy tried to feel his emotions, and she sensed he had lost interest in the other girl.

The rest of the bus journey went well, and, as the sun began to set, they arrived at the other side of town, near a quieter neighbourhood, and much richer.

"Levy lives near here." Lucy said, as they walked off the bus.

"Long walk? Many people?" Natsu asked.

"No. Practically nobody can afford around here. Levy is lucky; she gets to practice he studies at home, thanks to the fact her mother, a researcher, has her own private lab in their house." Lucy said, as they walked.

"Her parents? Won't they be surprsied having a girl and a dragon type human thing walking into their house?" Natsu asked.

"Her parents are often away. I remember last time I saw her that she said she would be spending next month on her own, and asked me wether she should host a party or not." Lucy said, a they turned a corner, big grand houses on each side of the road.

"A party?" Natsu asked.

"People listening to music, dancing, and getting drunk." Lucy said. It gave Natsu a vague idea, and they continued walking.

"Here it is." Lucy said, showing him a house. They walked up the steps to the large front foor, Natsu behind Lucy, and she pressed the bell next to the deep green front door.

"Coming!" A voice from inside shouted. The door opened, revealing the young blue haired girl. She looked, astonished at the blond, before putting her hand to her mouth, tears forming in her eyes.

"Hi Levy. I'm back."

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**Hope you enjoyed! I love your reviews btw! espacialy when you try and guess the plot :D (btw I know I spelled espacialy wrong I just am having a brain fart right now)**


	11. Blood

**Hi my little ones! I have a little announcement to make :D I shall be posting a lot of one shots the following week, for NaLu week, so for those who follow me as an author (thank you!) Expect a lot of notifications :D**

**Anyway, here's chapter 11!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~11-BLOOD~

"L-Lucy?" Levy whispered. The blond in question nodded.

"Levy, I have bad news..." Lucy said. Natsu stayed behind her, remaining unseen. Levy didn't hear Lucy's last sentence, she was still slightly surprised.

"T-then it must of been... did Cana...?" She said, shaking her head, tears forming. "But she got taken away... is Cana with you?" Levy squeaked. Lucy closed her eyes and bit her lip. She looked at the ground, and shook her head. Levy whimpered. "N-no..." She said, before she took Lucy in her arms. Lucy herself cried. Levy was a giant sign of home for her, something that attached her to the grounds of there city.

"Levy..." Lucy whispered.

"She died happy." Natsu said. He walked up the steps.

"L-lucy...that's the guy who-"

"Took me away. I know." Lucy said.

"She died happy. Cana." He said again. Levy took Lucy's arm.

"Get away from us monster! Why is he here?!" She shouted.

"No, Levy, let me explain-"

"What is there to eplain?! He is the one who took you! It's his fault Cana isn't here!" She yelled.

"I know it is, and he does too! But, he is different from the rest, he wants to be part of humanity." Lucy said. "It's thanks to him I am here. He escaped with me." Lucy said. Levy turned her away from him.

"You are sounding completely mental." She whispered to her.

"Levy...I know...but I need help from you." She said. "I want to learn about his kind, and about-"

"Lucy herself." Natsu said. The two girl looked around at him, astonished. "What? I run super fast, I am a dragon, I can sense emotions. Does it really surprise you I can hear you?"

"What? He can sense emotions?" Levy stuttered.

"I will explain everything Levy." Lucy nodded. Levy nodded back, and let them both in.

"Thank you." Natsu said, as he stopped in front of her. "I can feel your hatred for me. But still, thank you." He said again. Levy frowned at him, and nodded.

"I am easily persuaded. If you show me you can really be human, I may think kind of you. But never, ever, will I forgive you for what you have done. Taking Lucy...Killing Cana..."

"I understand it is my fault, and I have never regretted anything more thank going to your campsite in my life." He said. Levy nodded up at him.

They both walked in, Lucy knew the place, so she was already walking into the spacy living room.

"Explain then." Levy said, once she had sat on a chair, and Natsu had sat down next to Lucy.

"Natsu helped me escape, for two reasons. One-"

"I want to be part of this civilisation. Lucy made me realise that." He said. Lucy looked at him.

"Here's a base rule. Don't interupt." She said. Natsu rolled his eyes. She stuck out her tongue.

"And there is a second reason. I tried to feed off Lucy for four weeks, never did I manage, and slowly, the moments I felt her emotions became more scarce. But then...I managed to feed off her, and then..." He sighed.

"I fed off him." Lucy said.

"What do you mean...'fed' off him..." Levy said, confused. Natsu sighed once more.

"Our kind, we feed off emotions. We have the power to create those emotions, because we have an effect on humans that make it so. We also have to contradict the emotion we feed on, by creating it's opposite." Natsu said.

"Woah woah woah. Emotions? " she asked.

"It's true Levy." Lucy said.

"I'm not saying I don't believe you, just how could any type of stomach process somethig that isn't in any type of form?" She asked.

"It is." Lucy said.

"Which?"

"A sort of mix between all three forms." Lucy said.

"All three? How can a liquid be a solid but also be a gas?" She asked, as she got up, grabbed a jotting pad, and started noting things down.

"I don't know, but it's like a ribbon." Lucy said. "All emotions are the same bluish colour. I don't know much, ask Natsu." Lucy said.

"It's got a taste, according to the emotion, and what people." He said.

"Okay. You said you fed off Lucy. How do you feed?" She asked.

"Like I said, you create the emotion, and then you contradict it." He said. "It's a precise emotion per dragon. I give up. I am just calling us dragons." He sighed. Levy gasped, and got up. She rushed to Natsu, and grabbed his shoulders, her face inches away from his.

"I forgot you can turn into a dragon! It's christmas! How do you do that? How long does it take? My god Lucy! He's like a mix between a tiger and a butterfly!" Levy laughed.

"Oops...she got her bioligy geek on..." Lucy muttered.

"Come!" Levy ordered both of them. They looked at each other, got up, and followed her out the room.

"So she is your friend?" Natsu whispered to Lucy. Lucy smiled.

"Best. She is the one who knows who my parents are." She said.

"What?"

"I told you, remember? My friend had found my parents, but I didn't want to know who they were." She said.

"Oh yeah..." Natsu said. He had to ask Levy who they were...he had to find out what Lucy was...

Levy was leading them down a staircase, till they reached a room, and Levy turned the light on.

"I always find this room so impressive yet suspicious..." Lucy sighed.

"Well, my parents are stem cell researchers, what do you expect?" Levy laughed.

"Don't dissect me." Natsu said to Levy. The latter looked at him, and frowned.

"O-of course not! Just blood tests, a usual check up." She smiled. "Sit down, take off your shirt." She ordered Natsu.

They wheighed, measured, took his heartbeat, a blood sample, Levy even insisted she take a bit of dead skin of his cuticles, and looked at his cells under the microscope.

"Uuuhh...that was stupid of me...what was I expecting? Two nucleuses?" She sighed, as she lifted her head.

"Idiot, all life forms have the same base of cell composition" Lucy laughed.

"I know, but, oooohhh..." she said.

"What?"

"Look." She said. Lucy looked down.

"What?" She asked.

"Before they were not like that. They've changed." Levy said.

"Hold on, let me see..." Lucy said, taking the glass rectangle out of the icrospsope. "Look." She said, holding it up to the light.

"It's red." Levy said, they looked at each other.

"Natsu? Why is your skin changing to dragon on it's own?" Lucy asked Natsu, who was holding the vile of his blood, and looking at it.

"I don't know. When we are under attack, sometimes we change automatically. I guess my skin was just thinking it had been chopped off by an enemy."

"Skin can't think." Levy sighed.

"I don't know. Reaction." Natsu sighed.

"Hmm...I dont understand you, nothing from humanoid you is different to a human." Levy sighed.

"Not even my blood?" Natsu asked.

"No, my devices aren't strong enough to detect anything other than usual stuff. You have the normal count."

"Levy, what if he has unknown suff in his blood? Would it detect that?" Lucy asked.

"Yes! But it would only tell us if there was unknown matter in there, not what it is."Levy said, taking a needle again.

"Oh no you don't!" Natsu said, backing away.

"Natsu! You are a dragon, and you are afraid of needles?!" Lucy laughed.

"Don't start sticking things in my skin!" Natsu said, lighting his fist.

"Hey!" Levy shouted.

"He's joking Levy, don't worry..." Lucy sighed.

"Seriously! I don't want her sticking needles in me." Nasu sighed, as he went and sat down on the metal bench, letting Levy at his other arm. She was about to take the sample, when Lucy stopped her.

"Levy, what about if his body changes when he feeds?" She said, a smile on her face. "Like animals who produce more acid in their bodies, or snakes who go into a state of sleep!" She said.

"Lucy you genius!" Levy said. "You said he can feed of you right? Without you popping the lid?" She asked, nervous.

"Y-yeah, but-"

"Go ahead then."

"Levy it's a weird way of feeding, he eats pain." She said.

"But pain isn't an emotion." Levy said, confused.

"It has no name." Natsu said. "The emotion you feel when pain strikes, it has no name. But there is one, like a sort of dread or fear." He said.

"But, he has to contradict the emotion to extract it." Lucy continued.

"Contradict?"

"Make the prey feel the opposite." Lucy said. Levy frowned.

"Opposite of pain? Pleasure? But how does that- oh." She said.

"So yes. It is a weird way of feeding. Don't be awkward." Lucy said.

"And you-" Natsu said to Lucy "-don't start feeding off me." He said.

"I know." Lucy said. She sat down next to him.

"Okay, you have it?" Natsu asked. Lucy frowned.

"I-I think so." She said. Natsu put his hand on her cheek, and kissed her, making the emotions flow into him. He was hungry... he put his otherhand on her other cheek, and tilted his head to the right slightly. They leant away from each other, but the blue still flowing.

"Weird..."Levy said, before she took Natsu's arm. She tried to pull it down, but he was keeping it on Lucy's cheek.

"Natsu, hey, give me your arm." Levy said. She pulled harder. He wouldn't let go.

"L-Lucy!" He gasped. Levy looked at the blue, and noticed something was different. It was going into Lucy's mouth not his.

"Lucy!" Levy yelled, seeing her eyes. Once again, entirely blue... Natsu kicked her, right in the stomach. She went flying off the table, crashing onto the floor.

"Ah!" She yelled, and got up, she looked in rage at him, her eyes still blue. She raised her hand, and ran to him, and then. Natsu froze in shock, her hand was engulfed in a yellow light, swirling around her arm, like his flames did.

"N-no, I'm the only one with an extra power!" He said. Lucy made a try and punching him, but he caught her arm, and bent it behind her back. "Lucy! Wake up!" He shouted.

"Whats wrong with her?!" Levy shouted.

"It' s whatever she is!" Natsu yelled, as Lucy lit her free hand. "She's as strong as we are!" He said, as he flung her to the ground. He got on top of her, holding her down, and stared into her eyes, givng her an authoritarian look. She stopped struggling, and breathed heavily. "Lucy?" He asked.

"Why do you call me that name?!" She shouted. Natsu looked at her... just like a new one, she didn't know who or what she was... except she wasn't like a new one, she already had a life, why couldn't she remember?

"Lucy, it's your name. I am Natsu." He said. "I am not an enemy." He said to her.

"Why does it hurt?! My throat! My stomach! Everything hurts!" She cried out.

"Lucy..." Levy whispered.

"Who is she? She isn't like you! She hasn't got the same...the same...what is it? Why can feel what you are feeling?" She asked him. Natsu sighed. Lucy's eyes were still blue.

"I need you to calm down, and I can explain everything to you. You are a dragon." He said.

"D-Dragon?" She asked. "But...ah!" She yelled, as she closed her eyes.

"Hey!" Natsu called. He held her head up, but she was out. He hit her face, hard, and she woke up.

'Natsu! What was that for?!" She yelled. She stood up quickly, but fell back down again. "Wew...head rush..."

"Lucy, you changed again."

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**Next chapter**

**12-MERGE**

**Hope you enjoyed! Remember... NaLu one shots are on their way...**


	12. Merge

**Hello persons! Chapter twelve here for you ;)**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~12-MERGE~

"I..I.." Lucy sighed, and hung her head. "What am I..." she sniffed.

"W-why don't you come back tommorrow, and we can finish the tests." Levy said.

"I think that's a good idea." Natsu said. He got up, and put his t-shirt back on. He walked towards Levy. "Can I have a word please? In private." He said.

"S-sure." She said, taken a back by the sudden question.

"I'll wait for you upstairs." Lucy said, and walked up. Nasu watched her, and waited till he heard the slam of the door to speak.

"Levy, I need to know about Lucy's parents." Natsu said to the bluenette.

"Her parents? Why?" She asked.

"To know what she is. As you just saw. She _fed _off me. Yet she is human. I need to meet her parents." Natsu said. "She said you had found out who they were, but she didn't want to know." He said. Levy nodded.

"Yes. Although... she was abandoned at a doorstep of an orphanage, whithout any information about herself apart from her name. The information I have isn't trustworthy." She said.

"Anything will do." He said. Levy nodded.

"I'll give you the folder tommrrow." She said. Natsu nodded.

"Thank you." He said.

Lucy was sitting on the couch, waiting for Natsu. She had her head in her hands, and was holding back tears. She was so confused, so overwhelmed. What was she? Not to mention she was confused about what Natsu had said to her...about him...loving her, but no. He didn't. He couldn't! He had grew up with no idea of love, he couldn't.

"Illogical...illogical..." she muttered to herself.

"What is?" Natsu said, appearing behind her.

"N-nothing..." she sighed, and got up.

"Are you okay?" Natsu asked.

"Yeah...fine..." she sighed.

"Don't lie." Natsu whsipered to her, and took her hand.

"So, tommorrow, earlier?" Levy asked them.

"Huh?" Lucy asked, turning around to face Levy, letting go of Natsu's hand.

"Tommorrow, shall we continue the tests?" Levy said.

"Y-yeah..." Natsu said, eyes on Lucy. They went to the front door, Lucy going down the steps first.

"Here..." Levy whispered, and passed him the envelope discretly. Natsu thanked her, and walked after Lucy.

The two walked home, Lucy ignoring the letter in his hand. It was late and nobody was on the streets.

The following week, they continued visiting Levy, and continued doing tests.

"We really need to try while he is feeding." Lucy said.

"Well first you need to stop feeding of him!" Levy said to her.

"Why don't you start testing Lucy?" Natsu asked. Lucy sighed.

"I have her results already." She said, and smiled.

"How come?" Natsu asked.

"I was her gineau pig when she was first taught anything to do with the human body... I am lucky I still have any blood left in me." Lucy said.

"What about when she is feeding?" Natsu said. Levy sighed.

"You saw how she was when she fed-"

"I refuse. You say I attacked you? Well what if it was Levy?" Lucy said.

"But-"

"No!" Lucy said, and rubbed the back of her neck. "I am human, we don't need to test me..." she sighed.

"Lucy, you are obviously not human." Natsu said, walking over to her. She looked to the side. "What if I helped you try and control it?" He asked.

"W-what do you mean?"

"Well, with newborns, they are like you after you feed off me, wild, angry, not knowing who they are, because they have never had a personality before. But you, you are already someone. What if you merged with the dragon? I mean... not merged, just accept what you are?" Natsu said.

"I have accepted what I am and that is a human!" She said, and stormed out the room. Natsu sighed.

"You were slightly untactile there." Levy smiled. Natsu sighed, and sat down on a chair.

"Well I don't now how else to explain it..." Natsu sighed. Levy walked over to him.

"Listen, you need to make it sound like a good idea, here you just offered to take her humanity away." Lev said.

"But I wasn't, I just want to help her, that's all...she is human, I know that, but there's more to her than that." He said. Levy nodded.

"Tell her that then." Levy said. Natsu nodded.

The day finished, and both of them took the bus home. Natsu was able to ignore the other humans now, after many bus rides.

"Hey Lucy, about earlier-"

"No." She said.

"Here me out would ya'?" He sighed. To his surprise, Lucy laughed. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing...just since you've been here your character has started to develope. You're funny." She smiled. He rolled his eyes and looked out the window.

"Lucy, I am hungry." He finally said. She went quiet. "I haven't eaten since Levy's laboratory, when you fed of me." He whispered to her.

"I would let you but I might turn again." She said.

"Which is why I need to help you control the dragon." He said. Lucy gulped. She crossed her arms. Natsu sighed. "When you were a dragon in the lab, you had a power. Not many of us have a power, it's usually to help us feed. I have my flames to burn and hurt, gets the job done quicker you see." He sighed.

"A power? What was it?" She asked.

"I don't know... a silvery golden light of some sort." He said.

"Hmmm..." she muttered. There was silence.

"Will you let me?" He said, and turned to her. She waited a moment before answering.

"Okay." She said.

When they arrived at her house, Lucy went to her kitchen, and ate an apple. Natsu walked in behind her, and stared at the fruit.

"What?" She asked.

"You always eat those." He said.

"Apples. Want one?" She asked, and took one from the fruit bowl. Natsu laughed, and rolled his eyes.

"Aw come on, you serioulsy offering?" He said.

"Sure, why not, what harm could it do?"

"It won't bring me any nutritional values." He said.

"So? They're nice." She said, and threw one at looked at the red skin,before biting. He munched, and swallowed. "The verdict?" She asked.

"It doesn't taste of anyting." He said, and took another bight.

"Damn...they are really nice trust me. I guess your taste buds have developped to taste emotions." She said.

"Lucy, can I try now?" He asked, as he put the half-finished apple in the bin. Lucy sighed.

"Okay." She said, and put her apple in the bin as well. Natsu looked at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Mhmm..." she said, looked at him.

"Lie down on the couch then." He said. Lucy blushed.

"Why lie down?" She said.

"I need to hold you down somehow." He said.

"Why the couch?" She said.

"It's closest. Why the questions?"

"I don't know...I don't want to do this..." she sighed.

"We _have _to Lucy, we need to find out what you are- I mean, what there is more to you." He said. She sighed.

"Nice save. If I'm lying down a bed is better." She said, and walked up the stairs to her room. Natsu followed her. She sat down on her bed, and looked at him. "I hope you remember what I said about a purely platonic relationship?" She said, as she lay down. Natsu's mouth turned upwards, as he gave a slight laugh.

"Sure, sure." He said, before he walked over to her, and put his hands on her wrists, and got on top of her. Lucy's cheeks were red, and Natsu had noticed. "Should I maybe be saying that to you?" He whispered. Lucy blushed harder.

"I don't know what you mean by that and please get on with it." She said, looking to the side. Natsu laughed.

"Okay, I am going to feed off you first, and normaly your instincts should kick in and you'll turn." He said. Lucy nodded. She closed her eyes, gathering her emotions.

"Go ahead." She said. Natsu bent down, and kissed her, slowly, sweetly, the way she liked it, he had discovered. The emotions flowed, and Natsu wished that she wouldn't turn, her emotions were just so nice... And then he felt it, the push turn to pull, as she reversed the action. She was feeding off him. Natsu had to stop her, but he was feeling weak. He closed his eyes, concentrating on holding her down.

"L-Lucy!" He gasped, and with all the fibre of his muscles, pulled himself away from her, stopping the feeding.

"More!" She yelled. Natsu looked down at her, holding her down, her eyes were blue, and she was frowning.

"Lucy, that's your name." He said. She closed her mouth, and looked up at him.

"Let me go!" She shouted, and struggled.

"Lucy! Stop it! Come on don't you remember me?" He said.

"I've never seen you before in my life!" She said, kicking her legs.

"Your life! What is your life?" He said. She stopped kicking.

"M-my life..." she said, as she stopped trying to get rid of his grasp. "A-ah!" She yelled.

"Lucy!" He yelled, and let her hands go, holding her head.

"I remember..." she whispered, and opened her eyes. "Natsu it worked." She said, and Natsu saw her eye. One was blue, completely blue, and one was normal, her usual brown eye. He looked down at her.

"You know who you are?" He said.

"Lucy Heartfilia." She said.

"What are you feeling?"

"Pain. It burns." She said, and a tear rolled from the corner of her brown eye. "I hate this. I am so hungry Natsu, I am so hungry..." she said.

"An apple?" He said.

"No..." she whispered, and more tears stained the corner of her face. "I want emotions..." she muttered. Natsu nodded, and approached his mouth to hers. She put her hands on the side of his face, and fed off him, before he had even conjured any emotions. She was taking all of them, every single type, she was pushing him back, reversing their rolls. Natsu was feeling weaker and weaker, as she took more and more.

"Lucy..." he whispered, before his eyes closed.

* * *

**What's up Natsu? Find out next week, in chapter 13-Tears!**

**Hope you enjoyed! Bisous :***


	13. Tears

**Hey peoples! Roji back with another chap! (That rhymes to a certain extent) Hope you enjoy!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~13-TEARS~

_Where am I? Oh yeah..._

_"Natsu, you need to torture more. They need to feel happy when you stop, you will feel it when they are happy." He is saying to me. Well I know that, just it's so hard with this tiny flame. And that person is already so messy._

_"Yes." I say, as I should. I light my hand again, and go for the open wound. The person is an adult._

_"Don't...please..." He is saying. I was told to ignore him. I am ignoring him. I put my hand on the wound, it is bloody. I don't like blood, but it hurts. So I dig my fingers in, and burn it. The person screams, and I feel it, the pain...I am starving! I need it! I dig deeper, burning more. I am little compared to him, but I will get bigger and stronger. I want him to feel more pain. I grab his other arm, and burn him. He has no strength to pull away from me. The man is crying. "WHAT ARE YOU YOU MONSTER! YOU ARE NO LONGER HUMAN!" He screams. I stop a second, before continuing. I was. _

"Ah!" Natsu gasped, as he opened his eyes. He looked around confused, and sighed. He was in Lucy's room, and she was lying down next to him, her hand had been on his arm. He groaned, and held his head. The last thing he remembered was her feeding off him, and then he blacked out. He sighed, and looked down at her. The sunlight from morning was pouring through her window, bathing her in beautiful rays of gold. She looked amazing. She must of gone to sleep next to him.

"Lucy..." he said, as he bent down next to her. She sighed. She looked happy. Natsu smiled, and gave up trying to wake her up. He stroked a strand of hair back, and she smiled in her sleep. Natsu got up, and immediatly fell to the floor.

"Aaah..." he groaned, and got up again. "You took more than I thought." He said to her sleeping form. Natsu went into his room, stumbling, and lay down on his bed. He smiled. There were clothes that Levy had given him, saying the belonged to her older brother Jellal, but he had left home. Levy had been giving Lucy her school lessons, as Lucy didn't want to go to school or see any of her other friends, there would be too many questions and himself could be found out. But Natsu was happy with Lucy, she was nice, and they had fun with Levy, espacially when she chased Natsu around her house for a third blood sample. She had failed unfortunately, when Natsu threatened to eat her dry.

Natsu yawned, got a towel and some clothes, before going to take a shower.

He sighed, as the warm water trickled down his body, and eased his aching muscles. Lucy really had took more than he thought necesary. His supply was infinite, unlike humans, so he would survive, but that didn't mean there was no harm, he would be aching for the whole day maybe...

He washed, and got out, drying himself. He got dressed, and walked out of the bathroom. He walked back to his room, and looked in the mirror. His white t-shirt, and his black jeans made him look so...human. he could easily pass for a human. He raised his hand, and lit it.

"Hey."

Natsu turned to the doorway. Lucy was standing there.

"Morning." He said.

"Are you gonna tell me what happened last night?" She asked him. He unlit his fist, and walked to her.

"You don't remember?" He said.

"No. Did you manage?" She asked.

"Yes. But I thought you'd remember the day after..." he said.

"What happened?" She said. Natsu sighed.

"You fed off me, you where hungry, but you took loads. I blacked out and you must of fallen asleep." He said. "Or blacked out as well." He said, and lit his hand again, looking at the mirror. Lucy walked next to him, and looked in the mirror.

"You look human." She said, putting her hand on his arm and lowering his flamed hand.

"And you look Dragon." He sighed.

"Guess we're lost huh?"

"We are. Lucy, I've been thinking." He said.

"About what?" He asked, and went to sit on his bed. He turned around to her.

"About the fact that I am hungry. I still haven't fed off you, and I think because you ate loads last night you won't turn, can I try to feed off you?" He asked. Lucy looked up at him, and bit her lip.

"Okay." She said. He smiled at her.

"And then can you show me the human world please? Other than Levy's house." He said. Lucy smiled.

"I'd love too." She said. Natsu smiled at her, before walking to her, and sitting down next to her. He held her chin, and she blushed.

"Have you got the emotion?" He asked.

"Yes." She whispered. He kissed her, fast. He was so hungry, and impatient. He put his hand on her waist, and waited for the flow to start. It did, and he continued kissing her fast, hopefully keeping her Dragon-self at bay. He sepearted his mouth form hers, and put his hand behind her neck, his other hand on her thigh, making sure she continued feeling pleasure. She was breathing quickly, and her her heart was beating fast. Natsu coudln't feel her emotions, but he knew she liked it. The flow became weaker, so he kissed her again, slower, and more passionately. Lucy let him, and then her heart was beating frantically. She remember that feeling from last night, just before she had turned. "N-Natsu, I-"

"No, you won't." He whispered, before he stopped kissing her, breaking the flow. "No. I know you won't. You have a certain degree of control over when you change. You need to know you have that control. Just...feel human." He said. He pushed Lucy down on the bed, and bought her knee up to his waist, as he bent over her.

"N-Natsu!" She said, blushing hard.

"See. So human..." he said, before he kissed her, feeding on the emotions she had created. Lucy closed her eyes, as he held her arms down, kissing her occasionly, keeping the pleasure high. Natsu could feel her human emotions as well as her artificial emotions. She was feeling pain. Pain that he was feeding off, but she was also feeling confusion, happiness, guilt, and pleasure. He wanted to kiss her more, to _feel_ her more, and to feel her heart beat faster, her breathing quicken, and her lips to kiss him back. Lucy had given him what she had created. He broke the flow. Lucy was still breathing fast, as he stood up, letting her knee and arms go. He stood up, and looked in the mirror again. He still looked human.

"Enough?" Lucy asked, as she sat up, and ooked away from him.

"Mm. Thank you." He said. He turned to Lucy, as she got up, and walked to the doorway. He grabbed her arm.

"Natsu?" She said.

"Lucy...you controlled it, but did I take any of your emotions? I mean human? They tasted so human." He said. Lucy looked at him.

"I'm alive, aren't I?" She said, and walked out. Lucy walked along the hall, till she came to her room, and closed the door behind her. She sat on her bed cross legged, and hung her head low, crying silently, not wanting to be heard by Natsu's too good ears. She didn't know what was happening...

In between waking up with no recolection of the night before, having...having fed off someone...and...and then _Natsu..._ she shouldn't be yearning the touch of his skin, the delicate yet violent touch of his lips on hers... Lucy shouldn't of been yearning that.

"I can hear you in there." Someone said at the door.

"Go away." She said.

"No." He said back, and opened the door. He walked into the room, and sat down next to her.

"Go away I said." As she grabbed a pillow and burried her face into it.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Just..." she cried even more. Natsu didn't know what to do. He did what felt right. They were friends. He put his hand on her back, and gently stroked her.

"Come Lucy, you're human. This proves your human. Your life, your friends, your tears, that little blush. They all prove it." Natsu said. Lucy looked at him. She was surprisingly beautiful when she cried...her eyes were sparkly from the tears, her cheeks were red, and the tears stained her face in a way that he had never noticed before...

"Natsu..." she said, and smiled, before hugging him suddenly with all her might.

"So...I can feed off Lucy." Natsu said to Levy, once the two had made it there.

"I know you can, but she always-"

"I can slightly control if I change or not now." Lucy smiled. Levy gasped, and immediatly grabbed a syringe from one of the sterile cabinets.

"Top off!" She yelled at Natsu. She went to get the produt.

"I really don't know why she is making you get your top off, the vein is on your arm and you are wearing a t-shirt." Lucy laughed. Natsu looked at the bluenette aprhensively. "It's probably because Levy has never had a boyfrined." Lucy laughed.

"You neither." Levy said, suddenly appearing behind her.

"Y-yeah, but-"

"Well I've never had a girlfriend, so I guess we're a club." Natsu said, as he held out his arm. The two froze.

"Did he just make a joke?" Levy asked.

"He just made a joke." Lucy replied.

"A funny one." Levy said. The two girls looked at him, at each other, before laughing. Natsu felt the corner of his mouth turn up as well.

"Okay, back to business. Lucy, have you got the emotion?" He asked. Lucy closed her eyes.

"Yes." She said, concentrating hard.

"Okay, Levy your weapon?" He asked the other girl.

"Yes."

"Let's get too it then." Natsu said, before he kissed Lucy, placing his hand on her waist. He kissed gently, and the flow strated. Natsu felt Levy stab the instrument in his vein, and cringed, but was enjoying the emotions nontheless.

"Okay." Levy said. Natsu broke it, and removed his hands from Lucy, continuing their 'purely platonic ' friendhsip. Levy put the samples on the table. "Go upstairs and let me finish working." She said. Natsu and Lucy both went up, and sat in the expensive living room.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"Hm?" He said, as he sat don on the couch in front of the own she was sitting on.

"You said...that what you are presented itself as a virus at first.." she said.

"Yes. I am one of the first, we were a disease at first, the virus changed our functioning, both mental and physical." He replied.

"Then once...you must of been a human?" She asked. Natsu felt his fist clench, and closed his eyes.

"O-once. Yes." He said. "But the change was abrupt."

"I see..." she said. "You an still be human. Human is a way of thinking as well." She said.

"I know..." he sighed. "But... Do I really fit in?" He asked, but then, the doorbell went.

"Levy!" Lucy shouted down the stairs. Lucy had been hiding herself from the rest of her friends... she...she couldn't face them with the news about Cana.

"Yes!" Levy called up the stairs. Lucy took Natsu's hand, and pulled him up the stairs, going to a different level of her house. They stayed on the stairs, just so they could hear them speak.

"Gray? Juvia? What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Juvia?" Natsu whsipered. "That girl, right?" He asked.

"Yes, the one who you were going to take. She's with Gray, a friend of mine." She whispered back.

"Levy, we wanted to talk to you about the group that went to look up for Lucy..." Gray said. Levy was silent.

"That's right...You went up there as well..." Levy said, quietly.

"The same sort of thing attacked us." Juvia said. "He..he took Cana. We didn't find Lucy or her...we are thinking we should..." Juvia sighed.

"We should consider them gone Levy." Gray muttered. Lucy gasped, and wanted to run down the stairs, in fact she almost did, but Natsu took her hand.

"I...I mean, how can we be sure they are gone?" Levy said.

"I need to go Natsu!" Lucy whispered. "I won't tell them about you I promise!" She cried.

"No!" He whispered back, grabbing both her hands.

"Natsu let me go!" She whispered louder, getting up and pulling out. She managed, but tripped, and in a flash, Natsu saw her fall backwards, quickly, he grabbed her around her waist, and swiveled over so the blow crashed onto his back.

"Ah!" He said, as he crashed ont the floor in the hall, holding Lucy. "Ah..." he groaned, letting her go, and grabbing the back of his head. He looked to the right. Looking down astonished at him, was Gray and Juvia.

"Y-You!" Juvia screamed.

"Natsu are you okay?" Lucy asked.

"Mmm..." he sighed, as she pulled him up.

"Lucy!" Gray yelled. "Levy, what is going on?!"

"U-um..." she sighed.

"Gray...it's the dragon." Juvia said, terrified, as she backed out of the doorway.

"Oh calm down I ain't gonna eat you..." he sighed, as he stood up.

"What do you mean he's the dragon?" Gray said.

"He's the one! He's the one who took Lucy away!"

"No Juvia listen-"

"What is this Lucy? You joined forces with them? They're gonna eat you!" Juvia screamed. Levy sighed.

"Juvia seriously! He's not like the others!" Lucy said. Gray was looking at Lucy.

"Y-you are alive? What about Cana?!" He shouted, as he ran to her, and grabbed her, hugging her. Lucy was taken aback.

Cana...

"G-Gray...Cana...Cana...she's gone..." she said. Gray clenched his teeth and fists.

"Was it him Lucy." Gray said in rage, meaning Natsu.

"No,it wasn't-"

"Yes it was...I could of fought the one who did it more...but...I didn't. I am sorry." Natsu said. Gray let go of Lucy, and hung his head low.

"First...first you threaten Juvia...you take Lucy...and now...and now..." Gray clenched his fifts. "You've _killed _one of my friends..." he muttered, as he walked towards Natsu. "I don't care how different you are! I don't care if you are a damn saint you have caused us more grief in the last six weeks than any of us have ever suffered in our lives!" Gray shouted at him, spitting his words. Natsu looked at the ground...he knew that...he knew that... Gray sighed,and breathed in rage. "Fight back then you monster!" He yelled, as he punched Natsu across the face. Natsu took the hit, keeping his anger at bay. This man named Gray was right...

"I don't want to fight you back..." he whispered.

"Say sorry!" Gray yelled, as he pushed Natsu back. Lucu wanted to help him...but she knew what Natsu was doing...proving his humanity...

"I'm sorry!" Natsu shouted at Gray, looking at him right in the eyes. Gray looked at him, and took a step back. He walked to Juvia.

"Are you okay?" He asked the girl.

"Y-yes..." she said.

"Good." Gray said, and grabbed her hand. "Your name, Natsu, right?" Gray said.

"Yeah."

"You've cause this girl nightmares. Such horrible nightmares she's been waking up in tears almost every night." He said.

"I've told Lucy, if there is anything I regret the most in my life, it's going there!"

"That's not enough! Regret being born a monster!" Gray yelled.

"I WASN'T BORN A MONSTER!" Natsu yelled. "I was made a monster! I was born a human! I have a spark of humanity left in me! Why won't you understand me! Why don't you understand I don't want to cause you harm! I don't want to be a dragon! I want to go back to being human!" Natsu shouted at them. He rubbed his left eyebrow, and walked back down into the lab, leaving them to look in awe.

Natsu rested his head against one of the sterile cabinets, and then...then...he had felt more human than he ever had...

Natsu felt something watery, and warm, roll down his cheek, as a strange noise escaped his mouth. he clenched his eyes shut.

"Understand me..." he cried.

Natsu cried.

* * *

**Next chapter! 14-DESIRE. Could Natsu of found a plausible hypothesis as to what Lucy is?**


	14. Desire

**Hey guys, chap 14 here for you ! Enjoy!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~14-DESIRE~

Natsu wiped his eyes, as he heard someone walking down the stairs.

"Um...your name is Natsu, right?" Said a voice he recognised as Juvia's.

"Yeah. Juvia?" He asked, as he turned to look up the stairs, she was nervously walking down.

"Y-yes." She said. He smiled up at her.

'Nice name. Sorry...I shouldn't have..." Natsu sighed. "Yelled like that and... tried to...you know, _eat _you..." He sighed. Juvia laughed nervously.

"M-mhm." She said, as she walked down. "Sorry for Gray-Sama... he is angry against you for what your kind has done. Lucy and him have been extremely close friends since they have known each other...and he heard about what you did to me, and I am his _girlfriend_ so yeah...and then...then...Cana..." Juvia breathed in, her eyes closed. Natsu closed his eyes as well. He...he had watched the brunette die after all...

"I am sorry..." he said.

"But...Lucy said you want to be part of the human society?" Juvia said, changing tone.

"Yes. Yes, I do." He said, determined.

"You should go out there with her. Cafès, parks, restaurants... everything is out there." She said. Natsu sighed, and nodded.

"I might snap." He sighed. Natsu noticed the space Juvia had left between them, and ignored it.

"Lucy trusts you." She said, and walked up the stairs. Natsu sighed, and sat down on the table. He heard the door close.

"Leave the weirdo in the cage." He sighed to himself. He walked around, and heard the wiring of Levy's machine. He walked towards it, and lent over the machine, looking at it, as it analysed his blood for anything out of the ordinary.

"Natsu?"

Natsu turned around to see Levy. "Hi. I'm fine." He said, knowing she would ask.

"It's about to be over." Levy said, as she walked to the machine.

"Where's Lucy?" He asked.

"Upstairs, speaking with Gray and Juvia. They are all close friends, and they want to be with Lucy now they know she's alive." She said. The machine beeped. "Here we go." Levy smiled, as she turned the screen on. Natsu watched her as she looked through rows and rows of numbers and letters, that made no snese to him. Apart from one.

"Unknown..." he said, reading the red word.

"Unknown substance in your blood. Natsu, your blood changes completely when you feed, completely." She said, turning to him. "It's like...it's like you are a completely different animal!" Levy said. She clapped her hand over her mouth realising what she had just said. "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean that you are an animal, just that-"

"Stop it. I know. Get back to analysing." He said, a small grin playing on his lips.

"I can't though...all the numbers change, that's it, but I don't have the expertize to do that, and the only substance that could give us an indication to how you process emotions is hidden away in there..." she sighed, and showed him the 'unknown' word.

"So...it would possibly be the same for Lucy if we were to do the test on her?" Natsu asked.

"I don't know...Lucy is an absolute mystery..." Levy sighed.

"Maybe her parents know..." Natsu said, and sat down on the metal bench.

"Are you two speaking behind my back?"

"Lucy!" The two said, turning around and seeing her sitting on the stairs. She laughed, and got up.

"Fine. Take a blood test." She said.

"Where are Juvia and Gray?" Levy asked.

"They left." She said.

"Are they going to tell the others about you?" Levy asked, walking to her. Lucy sighed.

"I asked them not too, for now... I can't risk anything happening to Natsu, it's not that I don't trust them..." Lucy sighed. "I asked them to behave like I was still missing. Gray didn't want to, but he agreed in the end. I have a message from him Natsu." Lucy said. Natsu looked at her.

"What?"

"I shall say it word to word. Touch any of them, you die. There" Lucy said, smiled, and walked downsatirs.

"Lucy, blood test." Levy said, taking a needle. Lucy rolled her eyes, and sat on the chair, rolling her sleeve up.

"See? She doesn't ask me to get my top off." Lucy laughed at Natsu, as Levy blushed, muttered something, and pressed a cotton pad to the vein.

"Stop making fun off me." Levy said. Lucy smiled at her. Levy put the needle in, pushing on it slightly to hard.

"Ouch! Levy!" Lucy swore. Levy laughed back evily.

"As I said, stop making fun off me." Levy said. It was Natsu turn to laugh. Lucy looked at him, and smiled. He looked back at her, confused. Levy put the vile to the needle, and blood poured into it.

"You have a nice laugh." She said. Natsu smiled back, a crooked grin.

That night, the two made there way home.

"I don't want to see the results." Lucy said, refusing the piece of paper Natsu was trying to give to her in the bus.

"Lucy! Why? Are you scared of the outcome?" He asked. She looked away.

"Of course not. I am just not interested." She muttered. Natsu rolled his eyes.

"Lucy, at least let me look at it then."

"No!" She shouted. People on the bus turned their heads. She looked around, before looking at Natsu again. "No..." she whispered.

"You are scared about wether your humanity is put into cause, aren't you?" Natsu said. She looked away, out the window again. "Tsch... you know someone, a very human human once said something to me. Human is a way of thinking as well." He said. Lucy looked down at her lap, as he leaned the piece of paper to her. She sighed, looked at him, and took it. Natsu watched her face, as she read, she frowned.

"Everything is absolutely normal. No unknown substance." She said. Natsu frowned, and snatched the piece of paper off her.

"That can't be normal..." he said. Lucy smiled.

"But I'm human." She smiled. "But I'm not!" She laughed, as she flung her arms around Natsu. "I'm human!" She said.

"No Lucy... you could still be something different." He said. "When I fed off you, and Levy took the test, the amount of unknown substance increased." He said. Lucy looked down, and took her arms off him.

"Mm." She said, before looking back out the window. Natsu sighed, and looked the other way, at a couple, sitting next to each other. They kissed, and kissed, the man putting his hand on the woman's cheek, the woman placing her hand discretely under the man's shirt. Natsu felt there emotions. Abosulte and total addiction. And then a sweet thing...a small thing hidden under layers and layers of anger, humour, happiness, and sorrow. Such a small thing, a small sweet thing that Natsu had never found before, it was small but concentrated, and he felt confused at it. He shrugged it off. But those two... he concentrated on the woman. She couldn't care less about Natsu looking at her, intrigued, only about her man...

"Lucy." Natsu said, turning to her.

"I do not believe you are watching lovers kiss..." she sighed.

"Lucy. Have you ever kissed someone before I kissed you?" He asked her. Lucy blushed.

"N-no... I haven't no." She said. Natsu looked at her intently.

"Have you ever felt some attraction to anyone? Any type of attraction, to their looks, scent, way of speaking, anything?" Natsu asked.

"No I haven't Natsu, please tell me-"

"Lucy the next question is extremely important. Please, please answer it with all honesty." He said.

"Our stop." Lucy sighed, as she got up, and pushed past Natsu's knees. He sighed, and got up after her.

"Lucy!" He shouted, as they got off the bus. "You need to answer this question with absolute and utter honesty!" He said, grabbing her arm. Lucy looked at him.

"Fine!" She shouted back. Natsu sighed. He pulled her closer to him, slowly, and looking somewhere else. "N-Natsu?" She asked, quietly.

"Don't worry...it's part of the question...just, answer honestly." He said, as he put his hands around her hips. He bent down slightly, so she lent back. Natsu looked at her deep in the eyes.

"Natsu please sto-" she muttered, but he put his thumb on her mouth gently, stopping her from speaking. He put his hand on her cheek, and approached his mouth closer to hers.

"Lucy..." he said, quietly, so his voice was almost just a whisper. "Right now, what do you want to do?" He asked. Lucy looked at him, confused, her eyes locked on his, she could feel his breath tickling her lips, his chest pressed against hers.

"I want you too-" she started, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Tell me. Honestly. It won't change anything." He said. Lucy closed her mouth, and Natsu sighed. He brushed his lips so gently against hers, that she thought she had imagined the contact. "Tell me..." he whispered.

"I...I want to kiss you..." she said, and blushed. Natsu felt lost in what he was thinking about, in his hypotheses. Lucy wanted to kiss him, he wanted to kiss her.

Natsu kept his hand on her cheek, and gave it a little stroke with his thumb, he could hear her breathing, silent, yet raggedy, as was his. They didn't speak. He gingerly approached his lips to hers, as she stayed put, but he leant back... it wasn't right. Yet Lucy, Lucy, she bought hers foward, but seeing him bring his back, she did so too. He kept her in his grasp, he had tried to kiss her, and she had tried to kiss him. Should they kiss? Natsu's lips were parted ever so slightly, and he could feel Lucy's breathing. He sighed, clenched his eyes shut, going against all that was in him, before he took his hand off her cheek, closed his eyes, and bought her back up. He turned around, facing the road. Lucy was quiet. He was quiet.

"I thought of a theory." Natsu said, ignoring what had just happened.

"U-um...a theory?" Lucy asked, blushed, and her heart racing. She crossed her arms, as if to enclose her emotions that Natsu could or could not feel.

"Yes. About what you are. Levy, she wanted to see me shirtless, right?" He asked. Lucy gave a small laugh.

"Yes, she has a thing for muscly types." She laughed.

"Yet she has no... no love for me?" He said. Lucy nodded.

"Levy isn't that type of girl, she'd only fall in love with someone she's known for a-"

"That's not my point. She wants to see me shirtless, yet she has no romantic feelings. That is normal, that is desire. Like the girl kissing the guy on the bus. It's an act. He loves her. She doesn't, yet she wants to kiss him. It is human to feel desire for something like that, which is why I give pleasure that way." He said. "But I feel desire as well Lucy. I feel desire to kiss them, beause I know that's how I am going to get my food."

"So what was that whole question thing for?" Lucy asked. Natsu sighed.

"Well, Lucy. You have never ever felt a desire to kiss someone, have you?"

"N-no, not particu-"

"Apart from me. You want to kiss me." He said. Lucy bit her bottom lip, and blushed.

"Y-yeah, but as you say, it's natura-"

"But only me. Someone who you can feed off." He said, and turned around to face her. "And Lucy, I don't feel any desire for any other dragons." He said.

"So?"

"So, my point is, I only feel a desire to kiss humans. You only feel a desire to kiss dragons. Lucy, you are meant to feed off me." He said. She frowned.

"B-but, that doesn't answer the question of what I am-"

"We need to find your parents." He said, and took her arm, pulling her along the road.

"N-Natsu! Calm down! Why do we need to find my parents?" She asked.

"We need to know about them, why they left you at the doorstep." He said.

"Natsu! I don't want too!" She shouted, as she yanked her arm out of his grip, and stopped. He turned around.

"Lucy, this is important-"

"To you maybe, but not to me. I can live eating human food. I don't need to let this...whatever this is...take me over." She said. Natsu frowned.

"And what happens the day you collapse and I am not there? When they take you to hospital? When they see something is off with the way you are? Lucy, remember? Remember when you collapsed because of hunger?" He said, and walked to her. She sighed.

"Let me...let me sleep over it. And besides, you don't know who they are-"

"Levy." He said. "I asked her for the papers." He said. Lucy's eyes widened.

"You know? You know the name of my parents?"

"Yes. And there address. All I need is for you to tell me how to find it because I don't understand the adresses..." he sighed. Lucy hung her head.

"Natsu..." she muttered. He looked at her.

"What?"

"Natsu...only you and Levy know their names. It is such an important secret to me that only the people I trust know their names. I don't, I don't trust myself. But...but I trust you. Don't tell me their names, and don't tell anyone else." She said, under her breath.

"I won't." He said. And put his hand on her bowed head. She looked up. "I won't." He said again, looking at her straight in the eyes. She nodded.

The two made their way home in silence, thinking about everything. They walked up the stairs to Lucy's house, and she opened the door.

"Shall I give you the address?" He asked.

"Tommorrow...tommorrow..." she said. " I am so tired..." she said, as she took her coat off.

"Lucy?" Natsu said. There was silence.

"Yes?" She answered, finally breaking it. Nasu hesitated.

"No, nothing. Good night." He said. Lucy smiled, and nodded, as she made her way upstairs. Natsu looked once again at all the frames, as he always did, before he went upsatirs as well. He couldn't feel her emotions.

As Natsu lay down in his bed, and closed his eyes, his mind wandered to _that _moment. He knew it. She knew it. They both wanted to kiss each other, they both wanted something from the other... Natsu thought about that little emotion he had felt in the couple, the man, moslty, and then the love for what they were doing. Did Lucy, when she scolded him about not knowing what love was, did she mean that, that small sweet condensed feeling, was that..was that love? Did she feel that when there lips had come so close...their hearts beating at the same rhythm..

"Stop it." Natsu whispered to himself.

Lucy was lying on her back. She couldn't sleep. She was focusing on Natsu's emotions. She could feel them better now. He was confused, and even more confused. He must be focusing on her parents...

Or maybe he was feeling what she was feeling?

But what was she feeling? She wanted to kiss him...she had admitted that to herself since they arrived the first time at her house. She felt extremely attached to Natsu. She definitely wanted to kiss him... and...did he want to kiss her? Because the way he had acted was... leading her to believe he wanted to too...

Lucy sighed, rolled over, and fell to sleep...

"I am going to find him... I am going to look in that town..." a blond haired man said, as he stood at the mouth of a cave.

"Sting, he has gone. He made his choice."

"That isn't enough of a reason! Rogue, he is denying his nature! He is denying her nature! He thinks he can become human and he can discover what she is! Natsu has gone mental!" Sting shouted to Rogue, as he walked back in and up to Rogue.

"But... " he sighed.

"Listen, I'll kill the girl and bring back Natsu. I'll also kill any aquaintances he has made, you know, just to be safe."

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**Dun dun duuuun! NEXT WEEK will we see more of Sting? Or will we hear more about the 'almost kiss'? Or will we discover the truth about Lucy's parents? **

**See you next week!**


	15. Blond

**hey people! I really hope you are enjoying the story so far, here is chapter fifteen!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~15-BLOND~

Natsu opened his eyes, and blinked. Someone had been in his room. He could feel it.

"Lucy?" He asked, as he sat up. Nobody was inside his room, but someone had definitely been in. He got up, and looked at the open door, and the mess in the copies of blood tests Levy had given him. Something clicked in Natsu's mind. He rolled his eyes, and walked over to it. He ruffled through the pages.

"Ah well of course it's gone..." he sighed, before walking out. Natsu walked down the stairs, till he reached Lucy's study. He knocked on the door.

"Mm." She said from inside.

"You took the envolope?" He asked. Lucy was concentrated on the screen of her computer, frowning. She held up the open brown envolope.

"Jude and Layla Heartfilia. I have an adress. No photos though." She said, frowning on the computer. Natsu sighed.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Fine. It's a train journey away. I am getting tickets." She replied, before standing up. Lucy was still in her pyjamas, a pink button up shirt and grey shorts.

"Have you been up all night looking?"

"No. Most of the night but not all of it." She replied, walking out and slamming the door. Natsu sighed, and looked at the screen.

Lucy walked up to her room, and shut the door behind her. _Layla, Jude, Layla, Jude, Layla, Jude..._ the names rang in her head over and over. How did Levy even find them? She sighed, and got some clothes out.

Lucy walked down the stairs, and saw Natsu lying on the couch, playing with his fire again. He would light just the one finger, and pass the flame from finger to finger.

"I got the tickets for today." Lucy said.

"Today?" Natsu asked, getting up.

"Yes. I want to be done and delt with this." Lucy said.

"Today? What time?" Natsu asked.

"In an hour. I'll message Levy to tell her we won't be coming." Lucy said.

"Lucy, are you sure you are alright?" Natsu asked her. Lucy shrugged.

"Yes, no, I don't know." She sighed. He watched her as she went back upstairs, and sighed... he still hadn't got last night's image out of his head... the almost-kiss...

The two of them went to the station via bus.

"This is a train." Lucy said to Natsu, breaking the silence that had been so loud. They both knew that each other was thinking about last night, when there lips had almost come into contact, with not feeding on their minds. But with... a word Natsu didn't even dare think.

"Okay. I knew that." He replied, as they boarded the white and yellow vehical.

"Come. We can sit here." Lucy said, finding two seats facing another two seats. Lucy sat down on one, and Natsu sat opposite her, she looked out of the window, as the train left the station. Natsu focused on her.

"Are you okay?" He asked her again, out of concern and also trying to keep the silence away.

"That's the third time you've asked me in a single day." She said, turning to him.

"I know... I am just worried for you." Natsu said. Lucy looked back out the window.

"I don't know what I am anymore, and normally finding your parents should help you now who you are, what you are. But this... this is making me even more confused..." Lucy said. Natsu looked at her, and leant forwards.

"Only you can know who you are." He said to her. Lucy looked back at him, and smiled.

The two didn't speak until the ticket inspector came.

"Tickets please." He droned, in the same monotone voice. They were the only ones in the carriage, it was a weekday and nobody else would be interested in taking it.

"Here." Lucy said giving both tickets to him. Lucy frowned, as she felt a jerk in Natsu's emotion. She looked at him, and frowned. He was staring intently at the inspector. Lucy discretely kicked his leg. "Stop." She said to him. The ticket inspector looked strangely at her, as he gave her back the tickets. She smiled up to him. He walked off. Lucy turned to Natsu, who was gripping the seat with his hands, looking at the next carriage, where the inspector was. _"Natsu." _She hissed.

"What?" He said, snapping his head round.

"How can you be hungry? Come on, the last time you fed was twenty four hours ago." She sighed.

"After the six weeks beforehand I am tired, and not to mention all the blood gone." He replied.

"Why didn't you tell me? You might feed off someone." She sighed, and went and sat next to him. Natsu sighed and looked out the window.

"You have enough on your mind." He said. Lucy laughed.

"Oh Natsu...I can control mysef now.. come..." she said, and put her hand on his chin, before turning his head to face him.

"Pain?" He asked.

"I have it." She nodded. Natsu thought about last night. About the almost-kiss. Her sweet scent had invaded him, all of her, the skin he had felt, her soft hair, her delicate lips, the way they had slightly trembled when he had brushed his own lips across hers, her beating heart. Natsu turned to her, before he looked into her eyes. Their eyes locked onto each others, and the night before resounded in their minds so loud they knew what the oher was thinking again. Natsu didn't touch her. He just leant towards her, before he did the same thing. He brushed his lower lip across Lucy's. Last night was bought back so hard, even the feeling of the air came to both their minds. They knew what the other wanted. Natsu put his hand on Lucy's chin, and indicated for her to open her mouth. She was already feeling enough pleasure. The blue flow started, and Lucy let out a small gasp.

"N-no, kiss, or people will see..." she said, her eyes closed, concentrating on giving the emotion and not turning. Natsu's hands were slowly snaking up her thigh, and her body, as he closed the space between their lips, and the flow continued. Natsu couldn't help himself though. He wanted to feel her, her skin. He put his hands to her cheeks, and held her, as he shifted closer to her. She was feeling week, he could feel it. He put his hands behind her back, and bought her body closer, as he kissed her hungrily and passionatey, Lucy feebly kissing back, shrouded by his desire.

"Lucy..." he whispered. He couldn't help himsef. He wanted to say her name, he wanted to let her know he was thinking of her, and just her... and everything that was her. He knew what the thing he felt in the couple was... Lucy was right, he couldn't know what love was when he told her. But now...he understood what it was... something that was completely impossible to put into words, something that bought so many emotions, and took away some as well. Why was he feeding off her? He loved her. He loved Lucy. But he knew her... she wouldn't believe it...

"Natsu... why aren't you taking?" Lucy asked, tearing herself away form him.

"S-sorry..." he stuttered. "I was thinking." He said, before kissing her again. But, he stopped. Lucy looked at him.

"Natsu?"

"Sorry." He said again, and kissed her, taking. "Lucy, I-" he was interrupted as her hand made it's way onto his mouth, stopping him from speaking.

"No. Not again. You don't. You can't understand it." She said, as she got up, her hand still on his mouth. Natsu took her wrist and pulled her hand off.

"For crying out loud Lucy, let me finish!" Natsu said. "I love you and I-"

"Shut it!" Lucy said, before walking out of the carriage. Natsu sighed, got up, and sat back down.

Lucy sat on a seat and looked out the window. She crossed her arms. Natsu coudn't know what love was... he coudn't... yet...yet she did feel his emotions... she didn't want to though...

She knew what she had felt, something amazing in him. Whilst they had kissed that something had grown uncontrolable. She held her heart, and closed her eyes. Maybe he did know...

Natsu sighed. He was angry with her. She had to understand. He knew she loved him, or did she? He hadn't been able to analyse her emotions enough to feel it, but he knew it. Or did he? He suspected it anyway. And why on earth did she think he wans't able to love? Did he love her? Could he understand love? Of course he could. He loved Lucy.

Lucy sighed. It was their stop soon. She had been grumpy at him for an hour, and now she just felt slightly stupid, sitting in a carriage on her own. She got up, and walked through the carriage doors. Natsu was sitting with his forehead against the glass, his arms crossed, his eyes following the greenery. Lucy sat herself down in front of him. His eyes flicked towards her, and back out the window.

"We're nearly there." She said.

"Mhm." He said back.

"Natsu..." she sighed. "Don't be angry at me..."

"Why not? You won't believe me when I say that I lov-" He started.

"Just, don't. I don't trust your thinking. I just don't think you've been human for long enough to know what love is."

"Oh really? Is that what you think?" He asked, looking at her, sitting up straight. Lucy heard the anger and annoyance in his voice.

"Y-yes." She said, holding her ground. "Love is much more complex than just-"

"Happiness. Love doesn't only bring happiness." He said. Lucy looked at him.

"Natsu-"

"Love also brings so much more. No dragon that I have ever met has fed off love, because there is no such emotion as love. It's just a short way of saying 'I trust you with my life, with every single desicion, I hate the way I am addicted to you, yet I adore it, I want to stay with you every single minute of every day, even when you get on my nerves, I would forgive you for anything, you don't even need to ask forgivness, and I think you are amazing, beautiful, stubborn, funny, clever, and vein in the most flattering way.' That is what 'I love you' means. And Lucy, I love you." Natsu said, his voice low and his eyes fixed on hers, a small smile playing on his lips, a sparkled in his onyx eyes. Lucy sat there, looking into his eyes, her mouth open like as if she was going to say something. A bing resonated from the speakers, and there stop was announced.

_"_Our stop..." she said, her voice almost a whsiper. She got up, and walked to where the doors were. Natsu grinned sarcasticaly, sat back, sighed, closed his eyes, opened them, and got up.

"It's just a walk from here normally." Lucy said, as they got of the train.

"Lucy-"

"And then I guess we knock at the door and-"

"Lucy-"

"Ask them 'hey, this is your emotion-eating-psycho daughter-"

"Lucy-"

"Do you perhaps have any aquaintances with emotion-eating-dragon weird things?'-

"Lucy!"

"And then I guess they'll just tell me to go away, they don't have a daughter, and-"

"Lucy!"

"What?!"

"Did you even listen to what I said?!" Natsu asked.

"I did Natsu and frankly now is not the right time to tell me that you apparently love me, save your breath for a time when I am not scared out of my witts about seeing the people who bought me into this world before throwing me away!" Lucy shouted at him. Natsu frowned. "I just..." she sighed, and hugged him.

"Lucy?" Natsu asked.

"I am sorry... I don't even trust myself at the moment." She said to him, on her tippy toes, arms around his neck.

"I trust you." He said. Lucy gave a small laugh.

"Come on...let's go." She said, and took her arms off from around him. The two walked silently through the city, not speaking, feeling too confused to speak. The town was smaller than Magnolia, but just as charming. The cool summer breeze blew through the streets where a market was being held.

"It's on the outskirts." Lucy finally said.

"This town, it's really nice. It feels like home in a weird way." Natsu laughed, as he put his arms behind his head, and sighed in content.

"Ironic." She replied, coldly. They walked till they reached a path that led out of the town, a road through fields. "Why would he live so far out of town?" Lucy sighed, as they climbed the hill, then came the descent.

"Um..." Natsu said. In the distance was a white building, a house, a _mansion_.

"Oh. That denies my theory that they threw me out because they didn't have enough money to look after a baby." Lucy said. "Wow. My parents are rich." She said. "Come on Natsu." She said, as she continued walking.

"Yeah..." Natsu said. He looked at the mansion, and frowned. He continued walking slower than Lucy, as he kept his eyes fixed on the big house, frowning.

Lucy sighed, as she saw Natsu, some fifty meters behind her. She couldn't be bothered to wait. She walked to the right, where a gate was, and an open door on the side. She walked up a quartz stone path, to the big house. Everything was so quiet, just the sounds of blowing grass and birds.

"How does someone present themselves at a mansion..." she sighed. She shrugged, and walked up to the door, before knocking.

"Hello?" A voice answered at the door. Their was a man in a-

"Butler..." Lucy said under her breath. "Um...hello, I was wondering if I could see-"

"Me?" A man asked, as he walked to the doorway. Lucy's mouth couldn't close. In front of her was a man, maybe in his late forties, with a moustache and short hair, hair that was blond, the same shade as hers...

"U-uh, um...my name is..."

"Jude Heartfilia. What have you come here for?" He asked, extending his hand. Lucy looked at it, and felt scared, she took a step back.

"My...my name is..."

"Well come on then, I am a busy man." He said. Lucy closed her eyes, and turned her head to the side.

"L-Lucy Heartfilia." She said, her voice shaking, her legs trembling. There was silence.

"Lucy?" The man asked, stepping out of the doorway, closer to her. Lucy felt like crying.

"Mhm." She said, her voice trembling, tears in her eyes.

"Lucy, my daughter?" He asked again, his own voice raising octaves.

"Yes..." she said, and gave up, she opened her eyes, looked at him, and let the tears flow. "I'm your daughter." She said. Jude's eyes widened at hers.

"You have Layla's eyes..." he whispered.

"Lucy!" She heard someone shout in the distance.

"Who's that?" Jude asked.

"A friend." Lucy said. For some reason, she felt happy.

"Lucy!" Natsu said, as he stopped, five meters away. "I know this place!"

* * *

**NEXT WEEK! Why does Natsu know the home of Lucy's parents? What is his connection? Will we find out Lucy's true nature? 16-THE MOTHER next time!**

**Lots of bisous :***


	16. The Mother

**Hi guys! So I just want to say a giant HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beta Dragon Hoshi (and awesome fwend) even though his birthday was yesterday. He has been the one making this story what it is, so yeah :) Anyways, here is chapter 16! I hope you enjoy!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~16-THE MOTHER~

"Natsu?" Lucy asked, running to him, looking at Jude.

"Lucy, this is the place, this the place where I-"

"Natsu. Why are you here?" Jude asked, walking towards the two. Natsu clenched Lucy's arm.

"I-I..." he stuttered. Natsu looked at the ground.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked. She was scared, Natsu was accepting an inferior place.

"Natsu, how do you know my daughter? Why have you come back here?"

"I never knew that...that you were Lucy's father..." he said.

"Have you harmed my daughter in any way Natsu?!"

"I...I..." Natsu closed his eyes. He had.

"He hasn't." Lucy said. "Natsu has never hurt me." She replied.

"Lucy?" Jude asked.

"We have come here for one question." She said, looking at him. He closed his eyes.

"Please state your question."

"What am I?" She asked. Jude opened his eyes.

"Damn." He said. "Follow me." He replied, before walking into the house. Natsu looked at Lucy, scared.

"Lucy... he's the one. Your father is the one that raised us, Wendy, Gajeel, Acnalogia, and me." He said. "He's the one who found us all, and taught us how to feed." He whispered, as they walked in.

"W-what? Is my father a...a..."

"No. Your father is human. But Lucy I don't understand..." he said, and held onto her arm with both hands, as he looked around. "I have never seen this part of the house, I have never been through this door..." he muttered. Jude led them to a room, a desk, and a chair in front of it.

"Lucy, sit down." Jude said. She agreed, and sat down in front of him.

"Mister...mister Heartfilia, why?" She asked. The man sighed.

"Lucy...I cannot tell you how sad I am... I never wanted to give you away like that." He said. Lucy looked at him, tears in her eyes.

"W-wha?" She said, not really sure how to react.

"Lucy..." he said, and put his hand across the table. Lucy put hers in his. Jude smiled at her. "You've grown, you look just like your mother..." Jude said.

"My mother?"Lucy squeaked.

"She...she passed away..." he said. "Five years ago..." he added. Lucy felt a stab in her heart, that only bought more tears. Jude looked at Natsu, who had a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "Natsu? Can you give us a moment?" He asked. Natsu nodded, and walked out the room, closing the door behind him. He had cried...Natsu had never seen him express any emotions.

"My mother... what was she like?" Lucy asked.

"She was...she was warm, she was thoughtful, she put herself before others. She was constantly looking up at the stars as well." Jude said, smiling. Lucy gave a small laugh. "What?" Jude asked.

"I just thought...it must be genetic... I am studying astronomy." Lucy smiled.

"I am so proud of you..." Jude smiled at her. Lucy was so happy... she would of died to hear those words from a parent, died to know that they wanted to keep her. She was so happy.

"But...why did you leave me?" She asked. Jude's smile became a frown.

"Your mother..." he said. "You know what Natsu is?" He asked.

"Y-yes. Dragons." She said.

"They call themselves that?" He asked, before giving a quick smile. "I am a researcher Lucy. And your mother was attained by the virus, how the species presented itself at first. A virus that took over the body, changing the blood, the instincts, the programming of the brain, of the heart, every single cell, your mother was your age when she had the virus. I met her in hospital, when I was training to become a doctor." He said. Lucy looked at him.

"Does that mean..."

"I fell in love with her, despite the fact she was something else, and she fell in love with me. My parents were rich, and had just passed away, leaving me this house, their country house. We moved in here, and she let me find out what she was. She was a 'dragon'. The first one that I know of. Creatures that feed of human emotions. We found more cases like her, one presented itself in a teenage boy, and then Natsu and Gajeel. The virus presented started presenting itself in small children, around three or four. Your mother told me she was pregnant just before Acnalogia left." He said.

"I am...I am the daughter of..."

"Yes. You are half human, half dragon Lucy." He said. "We didn't want anything to be triggered, and we didn't know what you were. We though you would be safe if we never let you near dragons. So we left you at an orphanage, in Magnolia." Jude said. "It broke our hearts... and then... Layla fell ill... the virus started wearing off, and she couldn't process the emotions, and human food had no nutritional values for her... she died..." Jude said. "And then, I found Natsu. I became obsessed in my work, making sure they knew what they were, and making sure they could feed. I became blunt, not showing the sorrow in my heart, yet they could feel it..." he said.

"Natsu is one of a kind, mister Heartfilia-"

"Oh Lucy, call me anything other than 'mister Heartfilia'." He laughed. "And obviously." Jude smiled. "I am so happy you are here Lucy..."

"By the way Natsu is outside the door." Lucy said.

"H-how do you know?"

"I can feel his emotions."

"B-but? But you are human, you just cried, dragon emotions aren't powerful enough-"

"I... am human and dragon, and obviously the two have merged, because I have been feeding off Natsu. I never remember what happens, but I change." Lucy said. Jude looked at her.

"...how?" He whispered.

"That's why we came here." Lucy said. Jude frowned.

"Natsu. Come in." He said, not raising his voice. Lucy looked at him, and saw a different person... one who was raised by her father. She felt happy, and just a bit jealous of him.

"Yes?"

"My name, you know it now."

"Yes." Natsu replied.

"How did you and my daughter meet?" He asked. "And I want the truth." He said. Natsu looked at Lucy, nervous, and Lucy looked down, saddened.

"I... I was hunting. Lucy's class had gone up the hill, and were camping. I was aiming to take all of them, but one girl intrigued me. Juvia. Her emotions were so strong. But then, Lucy fought back. I offered to take her instead of Juvia, and Lucy accepted. Lucy's emotions were even better than Juvia's... but I couldn't feed off Lucy, for some reason, no matter how much I...I hurt her, no matter how much pleasure I contradicted it with, never could I feed. Another dragon, Sting, born from dragons, couldn't either."

"You. Fed. Off. My. Daughter." Jude said, between clenched teeth.

"I had no idea who she was, but we escaped from the cave together, because they were going to kill her if I didn't find out her problem in twenty four hours... and she fed off me. She acted like a newborn." Natsu said. Jude looked at Lucy.

"Are you okay? I have seen what Natsu can do to cause pain..." He said.

"Y-yes. I am fine." Lucy said, but Natsu noticed her hand slip onto her thigh, were he had brunt her the most. There was probably a scar there...

"Natsu. No abnormalities?" Jude asked.

"Not before Lucy arrived. I was torturing fine, and the pleasure was never a problem. But Lucy arrived, and then I started seeing something... beauty... at sunrise for example. Or butterflies." He said. Jude's eyes widened.

"Yet you are still feeding fine?" He asked.

"Yes..." Jude grinned.

"If I only I had the technology to look at your synapses... I could tell how much human is in there...or maybe over time you developed an 'artistic' eye like you developed with emotions..." he said.

"Gajeel never presented it. It was only after Lucy arrived." Natsu said. Jude frowned, and looked at her.

"Now...that is something that I cannot even present a hypotheses for... but anyway, are you two going to stay here?" Jude asked. "Because Natsu, I definitely want to see how you have developed, and Lucy, I have so much to teach you." He said. Lucy had sparkles in her eyes.

"S-stay?" She said.

"Yes, I have plenty of empty rooms in this house." He smiled back.

"I'd love too!" Lucy smiled. Jude smiled at her, before grabbing her, and hugging her. Lucy was too shocked to react. A hug...a hug from a real parent...

"My daughter..." Jude said. Lucy smiled.

"Papa..." she said. Natsu smiled at the two, before walking to a window. He only had an idea of what his parents looked like...red hair, brown hair, tall and strong, smaller but still strong,... he sighed... what he would do to find them again...

The two were led to the rooms, they were next to each other. Lucy smiled as she looked out the window, onto grass plains, wind blowing through the strands.

"Lucy."

She turned around startled.

"N-Natsu, you're room isn't here." She laughed.

"Lucy, we should tell your father your merging problem." He said. Lucy sighed.

"We've only tried once." She said. Natsu walked in.

"We should try again." He said. Lucy shrugged.

"As long as you... don't bring that in." She said. Natsu gave a small laugh.

"You have loads on your mind. I wouldn't." He said. She smiled.

"Okay." She said, before kicking of her shoes. She lay down on the bed.

"I am gonna hold you down, okay?" He said.

"Yes." She said, and put her wrists together, above her head. Natsu held them, and looked at her.

"Hold on to what you are, and make the dragon part of you obey to your human part. Okay halfie?" He asked.

"Did you just call me halfie?" Lucy asked. Natsu grinned, before he kissed her.

"Feed." He said, realising she wasn't taking what he had created.

"H-how?" She asked.

"Instincts." He said, kissing her again. Lucy didn't know what to focus on, what to do physically, she was lost, just kissing him. "Lucy." He said, as he continued kissing her. She gave up.

"Natsu, I can't!" She said.

"You can!" He said. "You need to take from me, come on, you can do it!" He said to her. Lucy struggled, and Natsu let her hands go.

"Okay... so kissing isn't necessary for me, right?" She asked.

"No, normally no." He said.

"Okay...so right now I am in human mode in a way of speaking. For nutrition I immediately think of food...but now I need to think of emotions..." she said, before she closed her eyes. She put her hand on Natsu's chin, holding his mouth open, before opening hers, and approaching herself. She opened her eyes, and Natsu was suddenly afraid. She had completely blue eyes, both of them open.

"L-Lucy!" Natsu shouted, as she raised herself, and held him up. He put his hands on her shoulders, and hurriedly tried to pull away. Natsu couldn't. He put all his strength into his fist, before lighting it and punching her across the face. Lucy was knocked off the bed, but landed on the floor, both feet on ground. She looked at him, and lit her own fist, before going at him, jumping onto him. Natsu took her arm, and almost got her on the other side, but she held onto him, so they both fell on the floor. Natsu swore, as Lucy kicked him, he smashed against the wall, and tried to get up, but Lucy was on top of him, trying to get to his emotions. He felt the pull, but managed to push her off. He held her down, and shouted. "Lucy! It's Natsu!" He said. The girl clenched her eyes.

"A-ah!" She cried out before she opened her eyes slowly again. "Ah...ah... Natsu..." she gasped.

"Your eyes." He said. "One blue one brown." He said.

"I...I can remember now, I can remember what happened last time. I was feeding off you, but I passed out." She said. "Let me go please." She said. Natsu looked at her.

"Lucy, you are you, right?" He said.

"Yes!" She said back.

"Tell me something only human you could tell me." He said. Lucy laughed.

"What is this? A spy film?" She said.

"Just do it!" He shouted back.

"Fine! Your name is Natsu you are 19 years old and you are a dragon and you feed off a nameless emotion that people feel when they feel pain." She said. Natsu nodded, and let her go. They both stood up.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, as he lifted his top to see where she had kicked him.

"Not as much as I was before." She said. "It doesn't hurt."

"Okay." He said, and sat down on the bed. Lucy looked at him.

"I...I didn't mean to loose it like that and fight you...I'm sorry, I just didn't know who you were and...you were f-food so..." she said, as she put a hand to where she had kicked.

"It's okay, besides, I hit you too. You'll have a bruise on your cheek for sure." He grinned. Lucy smiled. Natu stood up. "Too business! Lucy, look at yourself in a mirror." Natsu ordered. She looked at him confused. "Creepy.." he said, as he looked at the two different eyes.

"What is?" She asked.

"Just... look at yourself." He said. Lucy nodded, and went to the dresser in her room. She looked at herself, and gasped.

"My eyes..." she whispered.

"Yes. When you haven't merged the two sides both your eyes are like the blue one." Natsu said. Lucy gulped.

"Natsu...I...I don't feel so good..." she said, before she fell backwards.

"Whoa..." Natsu said, quickly catching her, and holding her up. He looked at her, her eyes were closed. "Lucy?" He asked.

"Mm?" She said.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"My head hurts..." she said, her voice a whisper.

* * *

**NEXT CHAPTER! Why does Lucy's head hurt? Is she fully merged? And what other secrets does she hold? Find out next week, in chapter 17-Lucy**


	17. Lucy

**Hey guys! Uch... help... I am trying to write the last chap of P&amp;P but I have writer's block T_T**

**Anyways, enjoy this chapter!**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~17-LUCY~

Natsu crouched down, holding Lucy to him. He brushed her hair back.

"How bad?" He said, quiet as well.

"Bad." She said. She breathed heavier.

"Shh..." he said, brushing her hair back, softly. Lucy whimpered quietly, and Natsu put his hand on her forehead. She had no fever. He closed his eyes, and tried to zone in on her emotions. They were scrambled.

"What are you thinking?" He said.

"M-my pictures at home." She said. Natsu smiled.

"I get it... why you didn't remember last time.. everything hadn't merged..." he said.

"Natsu!" She whimpered. He held her closer to him.

"Shh...it's okay, just hold on a bit." He said, before kissing her forehead. Slowly, Lucy became more and more silent, till Natsu put a hand on her cheek. "Lucy?" There was no answer. He looked down at her, her eyes were closed, and she was breathing deeply and slowly. He smiled, she was sleeping. He picked her up, and walked to her bed, before placing her, under the covers, and pulling them over her, she rolled over, undisturbed by the movement. Natsu crouched down next to her bed.

"Oh Lucy...you never cease to amaze me..." Natsu said, before going to his room.

He lay down, and closed his eyes, but sleep didn't real him in. He thought...about his parents. He only had the slightest image of them... no memories. He wanted to see the again.

The morning came, and Natsu woke up. He looked around, confused a second, before he got up, getting his bearings. There was a knock on the door.

"Y-yeah?" Natsu asked. The man, butler, he had seen at the door was there.

"Excuse me. Mister Heartfilia took the liberty of purchasing clothes for you during your stay." He said, as he placed a pile of folded clothes on a chair.

"U-um, thank you." Natsu said, surprised by the act of gratitude.

"Miss Heartfilia is already downstairs with him." He said. Natsu was suddenly worried.

"Thank you." He said, before the man walked away. Natsu took of his clothes to put a new outfit on, before almost running downstairs. The stairs were grand, and led into the entrance hall of the mansion. Natsu looked around, and saw Lucy sitting on one of the sofas, book in hand. He smiled. "Morning." He said. She looked at him. Both her eyes were brown.

"Hi." She smiled.

"Do you remember, Lucy?" He asked. She kept her smile.

"Yes, I do." She said.

"Tell me how it feels." He said. He sat on he sofa, next to her. She put her book down.

"It felt strange... when I was in a merged state, it was like half of me was missing, but something was completing it. I felt stronger, and faster, and powerful as well." She said. "I woke up with two brown eyes though. And my headache was gone." She said.

"What was that headache?" He asked.

"Horrible. It was memories. I thought I could remember everything but I was wrong. I only remembered stuff that hadn't happened that long ago, and slowly it all came back. My head felt like it was exploding." She said.

"It seemed that way..."

"Thank you." She said

"Anything for a friend." Natsu said. Lucy gave a slight laugh.

"Friend..." she said, before looking at him in the eye, Natsu's heart lurched.

"Natsu, you are finally awake." Jude said, as he walked in. Natsu tore his eyes away from Lucy, and looked at Jude.

"Y-yes." He replied.

"Have you been enjoying the book Lucy?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you." She replied.

"So, to business." Jude declared. "Natsu, I want you to tell me about how Lucy...'works'." He said. Natsu nodded. "Come." He ordered. The two followed Jude. They walked along a corridor.

"This is where we-"

"Yes, where you grew up." Jude said.

"Then the lab is just-"

"Yes." Jude said. He opened a door, and revealed a giant room.

"This is where I spent most my childhood." Natsu muttered to Lucy. They walked in. Two rows of lab equipment were in the room, on a side of a middle center piece. What intrigued Lucy the most, however, was the room seperated from the lab, next to them. A door led into it. They could see clearly into it, thanks to the glass that seperated them, and inside, it was all white and pristine. Natsu walked to the glass, and looked down at the floor. He hated himself... that room was where he fed, where Gajeel fed, where Wendy fed. Where they found strangers that Jude had conned into coming into his house, and had to feed of them. It was where a five-year-old Natsu had once put his fingers into a fully grown man's wound, before lighting them, making him wish he were dead.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"Leave him be." Jude said. Natsu put his hand to the glass, and then his forehead. He clenched his eyes shut. Lucy looked at him.

"What happened in their?" She asked Jude.

"Things that won't help Natsu's humanity." He said. Jude went up to a white board, and took a pen. He wrote in capital letters 'HALF DRAGON HUMAN'.

"So is that what I am? A half dragon human? Isn't catchy..." she sighed.

"Dragman." Natsu said. Lucy laughed.

"No way." She said.

"So, Natsu, tell me the basics." Jude said. Natsu breathed in.

"Lucy...feeds off dragons. I have come to a conclusion she had evolved for this particular reason." Natsu said. "She can feed off all emotions. When she feeds, she becomes a different... person. She starts acting like a newborn dragon. Also, we have managed to merge both sides of her character." Natsu said. Jude nodded, writing down.

Natsu told Jude about her eye colour changing, and then, about her power.

"She once turned, and attacked me. She's special, like me. We both have a plus." Natsu said. Jude looked at him.

"What? You mean she has a power?" He asked.

"Yes." Lucy said. "From what I have heard, it's some kind of light." She said.

"Yes. She hit me with it, it's a strange sensation, like the blow comes after, and it stabs your skin, like needles." He described. Lucy looked down at her fist.

"Lucy needs to change." Jude said.

"What? Now?" She said.

"Yes." Jude said, as he took a needle. "Natsu, can you make both her personalities merge?" He asked. Natsu nodded.

"I think I'll be able too, but I would stay back." He said, as he turned to Lucy. "Remember how to feed?" He asked her. Lucy nodded. She took Natsu's chin, and opened his mouth, before opening hers. She felt the emotions lie at the back of his throat, she wanted it. She fooled herself that she wanted them. Suddenly, the velevety sensation made her mouth water, and Lucy then felt shrouded in haze. She started not seeing, apart from a fuzzy grey, and then...she didn't feel. It started to clear, and then she found she was gasping. Lucy looked around.

"What happened?!" She asked, as she noticed that Natsu was holding her against the glass wall.

"You changed." Natsu said. Lucy shut and closed her eyes. It was true, she felt it, everything was sharper in her senses. She could sense their emotions better.

"Did I attack?" She asked.

"Yes, but nothing bad." He replied, before letting her go. Jude looked at her.

"Your eyes..." he said. Lucy looked at him.

"Lucy, can you use your power?" Natsu asked. Lucy looked at her hand.

"How do I..." she started saying. Natsu smiled at her, and lit his fist.

"Just, like blinking." He said. Lucy thought, she thought hard, giving her self the order. _Go on, shine... shine, shine!_ She thought, yet still nothing. Natsu sighed.

"What?" She said.

"Sorry." He replied, before all of a sudden, Lucy felt a blow across her cheek.

"Natsu!" Jude yelled. Lucy stumbled back up, and stared at Natsu with wide eyes and an open mouth, his fist was lit, and he was crouched down in a fighting stance. She felt something jolt inside her, and she was up, in front of him too, fists ready.

"Natsu stop!" She shouted. The corner of Natsu mouth lifted, revealing his canines, pointier than the norm.

"Fight!" He said, a growl in his voice. Lucy felt it in her, her _instinct_. She angled her foot on the ground discretely, and pushed off, running at him. She raised her wrist, and Natsu ducked, letting her punch, but miss, before he swerved behind her, and grabbed the back of her neck. He held her to the ground. She yelled in anger and fustration. "Lucy! Stop! Your fist!" He said. Lucy stopped thrashing, as she saw the golden light around her hand. She got up, as Natsu let her go, still staring at her fist.

"Natsu why did you-" Jude started.

"To kick her instincts. Remember my power? It was when I first fed. With Lucy, hers is different. Mine is for feeding, but I can use it for fighting. Hers... purely fighting. She doesn't need it to feed." He said. "And I am sure..." Natsu took Lucy's wrist, and dragged her outstrechted arm to Jude. Jude walked back, before bashing into a wall, as Natsu put her hand on his cheek.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked.

"It hurts me. But look." He said, letting her wrist go. Jude looked down at Lucy.

"This doesn't hurt..." he said.

"Half and half. Yet so human." He said to her. Lucy took her hand down, before she unlit it. She looked at Natsu.

"I don't feel good..." she said.

"What? How?" He asked.

"Like I am hungry...but..." she couldn't finish, as suddenly, both her eyes turned blue, and she fell to the ground, eyes open.

"Lucy!" Nasu shouted. Jude ran over.

"Her eyes aren't responding to light, she's either in catalyctic shock or she's-" he stopped, hand on her jugular.

"What?" Natsu asked.

"I taught you this didn't I?" He whispered.

"Yes! It's a heart beat-"

"I can't feel one!" He said. Natsu looked at her. He put his head right to her mouth.

"She isn't breathing! Why isn't she breathing!?" He shouted. Jude went to a fridge, before taking out what looked like a chocolate bar. He went to Lucy.

"Hold her up." He said. He looked at Lucy, as Natsu rested her on him, making her sit up. He had his eyes closed.

"I was feeling her emotions, it was one of those times when I could, but now...but now I can't..." he said.

"She's dead." Jude said. Natsu looked at him.

"What? No, she can't just-"

"No heartbeat, no breathing, no reflexes. She's dead, but I think their is a reason. When did she last eat?" He asked. Natsu was shaking his head. "When Natsu?!" He shouted.

"U-uh...well just now-"

"No! Human food!" He said. Natsu was clenching onto Lucy's arm. When he spoke, his mouth was a whisper.

"At dinner, the day before we came here... she forgot breakfast, and we left before lunch, unless she ate this morning then..." he shook his head. "She isn't dead..." he whispered. Jude opened her mouth, before he broke a piece of the chocolate bar off.

"Hold her up." He said. Natsu pushed her up higher. Jude closed the girl's mouth, before he held her head back. He got up again, and took a chemistry beaker, before running water into it. He opened her mouth again, her head back, before pouring water in.

"Why are you doing this?" Natsu said, his voice a daze.

"Come on...come on..." he said. He put his index and thumb at the top of her trachea, before running them down, pressing hardly. All of a sudden, Lucy gagged. Natsu let go of her, startled, as she inhaled harshly.

"H-how?!" He said, as she raised herself. She was breathing heavily.

"Eat." Jude said, as he gave her the rest of the bar. "It's an energy bar. With the time I spend down here... I forget to eat." He said. Lucy looked at him confused.

"What happened?" She asked.

"You died!" Natsu shouted.

"What?!" She shouted back.

"You went two days with no food, and then, you transform into a state that consumes much more energy, your human side collapsed." He said. "It collasped, and your dragon side shut down. All we needed was a little food. But yes, you died." He said. Lucy ate the bar silently.

"That makes no sense at all. Surely I would just faint or something?" She asked.

"No. Both of your sides rely on one another. If one side fainted, the other would shut down, which is what your dragon side did, making you seem dead." Jude said. Lucy sat there, frowning.

"Huh." She said. "Still no sense."

"Well, no mean to offend you my dear, but you don't really make any sense either." He said, getting up.

"True." She shrugged.

"I will want to take tests, Lucy. I'll have a proper meal made for you and then we can resume." Jude said. Lucy nodded, as he walked away.

"That was weird..." she said. She looked at Natsu, who was still open mouthed and wide eyed. He sat up slowly, before he wrapped his arms around her. Lucy sat there. "Natsu?"

"God damn..." he whispered into her ear. "Eat girl." He said. Lucy smiled. She hugged him back. They let each other go. Lucy looked at the ground.

"I never thought back in that cave that one day I would be sitting in my father's laboratory with the man torturing me every day now in love with me, and just having woken up from the dead." She said. Natsu laughed.

"Well... what can you expact, you find trouble." He said.

"Natsu... can we talk?" She said. He looked at her.

"About what?" He asked.

"Love."

_Autumn had come, and the gravel under Levy's feet was moist with dew. It was the morning, and the clouds showed no sign of a beautiful day. Levy had her eyes down, and a single white lily in her hands. She had a black coat on over her black dress, shielding her from the cold. She wished a garment could shield her from sadness..._

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**Hope you enjoyed! See you next week for chapter 18-Adapt. Bisous!**


	18. Adapt

**I still have horrible writer's block... help me t_T**

PREY AND PREDATOR

-18~ADAPT-

Natsu looked at her.

"What about love?" He said. She looked directly at him.

"Lucy? Is she still fine?" A voice said walking in. Lucy tore her eyes away from Natsu.

"I'm fine." She said.

"Here." Jude replied, before giving her a plate with cutlery. On the plate was a cooked fish next to some potatos and salad. "Protein, iron, and starch." He said. She smiled.

"Thank you." She said, getting up, and sitting on one of the stools at a bare space of the work bench. Natsu got up, sighed, and walked out.

"What's wrong with him?" Jude asked. Lucy smiled.

"He's weird. He was probably angry at himself for worrying about me." She said. Jude shrugged.

The day was spent with Lucy taking blood tests, and the butler looking for Natsu.

"I need to take a test while you feed." Jude said. Lucy's eyes had stayed blue and brown, even after she woke up. He had been doing what Levy had done, except much more professionaly.

"So...is there unknown substance?" Lucy asked him.

"Oh, there is so much more than that." Jude said. "In your blood, what is there?"

"A lot of stuff, but mainly red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, plasma, and immunoglobulins."

"Yes. Now red blood cells are used for what?" He asked.

"Transporting oxygen." She replied.

"Yes. But this is something interesting. Dragons need to breath the same air we do, if not they die of suffocation. Yet, the emotions they eat are in gas form, well, what seems like a gas form. It goes both into the stomach, and into the lungs."

"What?" She asked.

"Yes. I still need to figure out how the stomach process the mater into nutriments, but with the air... you have something in your blood. Blue cells I call them. It transports the matter." Jude replied. Lucy looked at him with wide eyes.

"What is the matter?" She asked.

"There is no simple way to put it. I have seen something though. It remains the same blue colour for everyone, but a slight colour changes in it for each emotion. I think the matter is too complicated to put into a formula Lucy, I think it is like...it's like humans. An embryo is composed of an ovule and a sperm, the genetic coding of the parents. But their is something else in there. What makes you, you. A child is never going to be an exact mix of their parents. There shall always be something there, unexplained by science. The miracle of life." He said. Lucy smiled. "Like you Lucy. I would say you are like your mother, charming and fun, yet she was careful and delicate, you however are funny, and rather un-lady like." He smiled. Lucy laughed.

"Maybe I get that from you?" She asked.

"No no." Jude laughed. "I have always been raised in a proper enviroment, I am not as rough as you." He smiled, before looking at his watch. We've been in here all day Lucy." He laughed.

"I wonder where Natsu is..." she sighed.

"He'll come back, don't worry." Jude said he put a hand on Lucy's shoulder. "It's late, why don't you go up to your room?" He asked. Lucy smiled.

"Thank you, for everything. You've been so accomadating, clothes, food, everything. Thank you." She said, as she got up. Jude just smiled.

"Anything for my daughter." Jude said. Lucy smiled, and walked out. She remembered her way up the staircase, and almost got lost trying to find her door. When she finally got in, she smiled at the big tidy room. The sun was setting outside. She wanted to feel the late summer breeze, so she went to her window, and opened it. She leaned out.

"Don't fall."

Lucy alsmot screamed, and practicaly _did _fall out.

"Natsu!" She shouted.

"Yup." He said.

"What the hell?" She asked, looking up. He was sitting of the roof, looking down at her.

"It's nice up here." He said.

"How did you get up there?" She asked.

"I climbed." He replied. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Of course..."

"Here." He said, bending down, and stretching his arm out. Lucy raised her eyebrows. "What?" He asked. She sighed, and took it. He helped her up, and soon they were both perched on the roof, feet on the gutter, holding them up.

"Wow..." Lucy whispered.

"Mhm." Natsu sighed. The sky was bood red.

They sat in silence, before Natsu breathed in.

"This morning... you said you wanted to talk." He said.

"Mhm." Lucy sighed. "Just..."

"About love." Natsu said.

"Yes..." Lucy whispered. Natsu turned to her.

"Lucy, I love you." He said. She looked away.

"I know, and Natsu, I-" she stopped. "I...you know that I feel desire towards you, but...I don't know if I..." Lucy exhaled, and looked down at the ground. "I think I love you Natsu, but I can't trust myself to know if what I feel towards you is love, or desire." She said. Natsu laughed.

"Lucy...Lucy..." he said. "Tell me what you feel, and don't hold back." He said.

"I...I love your lips, your eyes, your mouth, your body, your hair, I love your voice, I love your laugh, I love the way you know exactly how to make me feel the most unbearable desire towards you, and the painful control I have to muster when we kiss. When you put your hand on my leg, or on my waist, I want to put my hand over it, keep it there, with me, and never let you go. I feel like you complete me. You are what keeps me on this earth now. I rely on you." She said, her eyes still looking down. Natsu was looking intentally at her. He grabbed her chin, and made her look at him. "N-Natsu!" She said, surpsised.

"Continue!" He said back, his brow knited slightly.

"I-I-I love the way your touch is so violently sweet! The way your hair is so messy, the way you reacted when you saw me awake again this morning, the way you trust me to feed off you! Natsu you make my heart eratic, in a way nobody would ever do... Natsu..." She whispered. He looked at her, breathing heavily, his mouth slightly open. Lucy smiled.

"You idiot." He said to her.

"That's love. Not desire. Right?" She said, smiling at him, the cutest blush on her cheeks.

"Of course it is dummy. It's both." He whispered. Lucy felt each and every cell of her body tingle, as he moved his hand from pinching her chin to holding her cheek.

"Natsu. I am so happy." She whisperd.

"I know. I can feel it." He said. Lucy gave a small laugh, as both of them took each other, arms wrapped around one another in a mess of limbs, trying to hold the other one closer than physics would allow, keeping them by their side forever, never letting go. Their lips found each other's, and they were infatuated by the most sweetest, precious, innocent, and romantic kisses they had ever felt. They had shared many kisses, but that one was the most memorable. No emotions being taken, no intention to please, just the intention to show love, from both of them.

"I don't see it as sunset." Lucy whispered, as they broke apart momentarily, forehead resting on one another's. "I see it as moon rise."

"A new begining, right?" Natsu asked.

"Yes. A new begining." She said, before she smiled, and closed her eyes, before their lips made contact again.

Sting sighed, as he stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing a clean white towel over his hair. He looked at himself in the mirror.

"One of many inconveniences of that damn cave... no shower..." he laughed. Sting lived in Europe with his parents, both dragons like Natsu Wendy and Gajeel, infected by a virus. He was born a dragon, like Rogue. They were bought up together in the north of Europe, in an isolated country side. He remembered hills, a lot of them, and whenever someone came up, it would be a feast for the family. Sting laughed, before he threw his raggedy clothes back on. "These are no good..." he sighed. He walked out of the bathroom, and into another room.

On the ground, tied up, cloth over their mouth's, were two people. A boy, and a girl. Next to them were two other people, except those people weren't moving. Sting smiled at the boy. The girl's muffled cries filled the room, as she pushed herself to the side of her whimpering big brother, who was looking up at Sting, the most furious look on, tears running down his face. Sting bent down over him.

"Hi you, you like around my height, huh? Gonna borrow your clothes." Sting said, before walking out, and finding the room he had found the boy in. He picked a top and some shorts of the floor, a white t-shirt and blue cargo pants, changing from his torn blue t-shirt and black jeans. He walked back into the room where the two kids were.

"Perfect fit." He smiled. "Thanks." He said to the boy. "Now, I am going to ask you something, and you shall answer, do you understand?" He said, sitting down in front of the black haired boy. He shook his head. Sting sighed, and took the girl's hair. The boy's shouts could be heard, muffled by the cloth. Sting laughed, smiled, and let the girl go. He undid the cloth of the boy. "So..." Sting smiled.

"Don't hurt her." He said. Sting laughed.

"Oh I won't, as long as you co-operate. What's your name?" He asked. The boy gulped.

"Jacob." He said.

"And her's?" He asked. The girl looked scared, she must of been thirteen or so.

"Mia." He said. Sting looked at her.

"Mia..." he repeated. "Your brother's gonna answer properly, isn't he?" He asked. Mia looked wide eyed, as more tears made their way down. She nodded slowly. Jacob looked at her, and wished his hands were free to hold onto his little sister.

"How old are you Jacob? You seem my age." Sting replied. Jacob kept his frown on.

"I am twenty." He replied.

"Oooh so close, I am one year younger. Why are you still here Jacob? Shouldn't you be getting a job?" He asked.

"What are you?" Jacob asked. Sting snarled, before punching him. Mia's screams could be heard through the cloth. Jacob groaned.

"I ask the questions." Sting replied, his jokey air gone. "Tell me something. I am looking for someone. Her name is Lucy." He replied.

"Second name?" He asked. Sting sighed, and held his forehead. He had forgotten, even though Natsu had mentioned it.

"I don't know. She's blond, brown eyes." He said.

"That's Lucy Heartfilia." Jacob said. Sting looked at him.

"You know her?"

"We met once, but everyone knows her, she went missing seven weeks ago, up that mountain, some kids who were with her say it was a dragon or something, some say it was a forest fire. But no one has seen her again. A search party went up, some friends of hers. Another one went missing." He said. "Cana Alberona. Both haven't returned." He said, Sting frowned.

"Are you sure? Lucy Heartfilia has not returned?" He asked.

"Yes. It was on the news, and it would be if she had returned." He said, his green eyes speaking truth.

"Tell me, how do you know her?" He asked.

"My mum's a social worker." He said. Jacob suddenly looked at the ground, remembering the two bodies next to him.

"Now now Jacob, concentrate." Sting said.

"M-my mum was a social worker, she worked at the local orphanage. Lucy was there. My mum asked me to help her move into her new home last year, she turned sixteen so she could leave." He explained. Sting looked excited at him.

"Her home? Where does she live?!" He asked.

"On this road, here is number 5, she lives at number 11." He said. Sting looked at him.

"Okay. I am going to let you go, and you will go straight to that house. I shall be with you soon." Sting replied. Jacob looked at him. "And don't try to go to the police. I will kill you." He said. Jacob nodded. Sting took the rope off his wrists, and the young man got up, before walking out. Sting waited till he heard the door close, before he turned to Mia.

"Brother's gone now." He whispered to the whimpering girl. He took the cloth off, replacing it with his hand. "Are you sad?" He asked. He saw the little girl's eyes widen, as his effect took place. The sorrow could be felt inside her. Now was time to contradict it. "But hey, once your brother is back, you are both going to be free, okay? Even mama and papa will be back again." He whispered. The happiness took place, and before it was to late, Sting took his hand off, and held the girls mouth open. The sorrow entered his own mouth, and the hunger he had been feeling was relieved.

"Here." Jacob said, as he saw the blond man. Sting smiled.

"Good Jacob" Sting smiled, before he walked up the steps to the small house. "The door, is it locked?" He asked.

"Yes." Jacob replied. "But Lucy told me where the spare key is. Here." He said. Sting grinned.

"You're pretty helpful. I should keep you with me." He joked, as he opened the door. "Run home now Jacoob, Mia awaits you." Sting replied. Jacob left, running at full speed. Sting smiled, he knew what he would find, the body of his mother, father, and little sister. Oh the poor one. Sting walked in to the house. "Hello? Lucy?" He called. No answer. He looked around. It looked clean, nothing had been used lately, maybe she hadn't gone-

Sting looked round to the coat rack. He started. There was a black sleevless jacket, and a pair of black boots. The same ones Natsu had taken off his last male prey.

Sting snarled, and took the garnments, before he walked upstairs. He found a room filled with boy's clothes. Sting ran back down again, before entering another room. It was a library, he snarled loudly, before angrily roaring, as he threw books around, he went to the desk, and grabbed a pen, tearing a piece of paper from whatever was on their.

"Natsu..." he swore, as he walked out the house.

"You!" A voice said down the road. Sting looked, only to sigh.

"Found your sister? She was tasty." He replied. Jacob ran up to him, a knife in his hand. Sting laughed. Jacob slashed, but Sting's reflexes were much quicker. He dodged, and punched Jacob in the stomach, making him fall to the ground. Sting smiled, and walked off.

Jacob lay there, arm over his eyes, pain in his abdomen, the knife on the gournd.

"Mia..." he cried. Jacob swore to himself he would find that...that monster, and he swore to himself, that whatever it took, he would kill every single one of his kind.

**Hope you enjoyed! Next week!**

**Lucy**

**And**

**Natsu.**

**19-LOVERS**

**see you then :)**


	19. Lovers

**Hey guys! Roji, um...Hoshi, whatever the hell my name is, back again! So a guest reader asked me a question, and it's true I've been rather unclear about where and when this is set. Simple answer,**

**Present time (I was thinking it starts in July, and ends sort of mid autumn, seen the amount of time she spent in the caves, then with Levy, by this chapter it's probably kind of september-ish) And in our world, in a fictional city called Magnolia (:3) surrounded by a mountain range, I imagined the city to be kind of like a small London... I don't know what to compare it too for people who have never been to London... Anyways, here's the chapter!**

**And I have realised something!**

**I have never said thank you!**

**This story now has 237 follows! It's unbelievable! I am so happy! Thank you! And also for all your lovely comments, it really gets me pumped to write more! Anyways, hope you enjoy ;)**

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PREY AND PREDATOR

~19-LOVERS~

Lucy slept calmy, before she felt a slight breeze on her neck. She sighed, and turned around in her sleep.

Natsu grinned as he watched the blond clench her eyes at the slightest blow. He blew again, on her neck. Her eyes fluttered, before shutting again. He gave a small chuckle, before pushing her hair off her neck. He liked the fact she only slept in a t-shirt and underwear. He put his lips to her exposed neck, and kissed, slowly.

"Mmmm... Natsu..." She said sleepily, before she turned around to face him.

"What?" He laughed. She looked at him, he was holding himself up on one elbow, and on Lucy's right. She was still lying down, looking up at him.

"Did we sleep together?" She asked, nervously.

"Yes we did." Natsu said quietly, before kissing her. "Do you not remember?" He asked, before he leant over her, and nibbled her ear lobe. She laughed.

"I didn't trust myself." She said, before she put her hands on his neck.

"I'll tell you again if you want." He whispered. She laughed again.

"Mmm do." She said, as he kissed her neck again.

"Well." He said. "We kissed on the roof, before I helped you down, and by then it was night time." He said, before kissing her. "I asked if you loved me." He said, kissing her once more. "And you said 'yes', so we kissed some more-" he kissed her "and some more-" he said, before kissing again. "And then you asked me to stay with you, and I said of course." He said. Lucy smiled.

"And having you by my side was a dream." She said.

"I thought I snored." He mocked.

"You do, but it was still a dream." She said, smiling at him. Natsu laughed, before lying down, putting his arm around Lucy.

"You're right, this is as good as a dream..." He smiled. Lucy smiled at him.

"I can feel your emotions. They are especially strong today." She grinned. Natsu laughed,

"I am feeling the most human I have ever felt. loving and being loved back..." He sighed. Lucy laughed, before she got up.

"Come on, breakfa-" she was interrupted as Natsu pulled her back down.

"No stay!" He winged. She laughed.

"Fine, fine." She said. He smiled, and pulled her onto him. She gave a little laugh, before they kissed, slowly, yet deeply. Natsu put his hand on her back, lifting her t-shirt up, revealing the pale skin of her lower back. Lucy put her hand in Natsu's hair, as they kissed more, mouths parted, and tongues ventured in each other's mouth. Natsu stopped, and they leant away, still close to each other. Lucy's hair was hanging down, shielding her peripheral vision, only Natsu in her sight.

"I love you." He whispered. She closed her eyes, letting the words ring.

"I love you too." She replied.

When the two finally made their way downstairs, they kept looking at each other, and smiling. The bliss of loving each other was amazing for one another. Lucy felt Natsu's emotions, and he felt her's occasionally. Happiness, enjoyment, and that small, condensed sweet thing. He felt it in her, hidden under layers of everything. He was so happy. Lucy was the same, she could feel it too.

"What's with the weird looks?" Jude asked, as he bit into another piece of toast. Lucy and Natsu quickly looked away from each other.

"N-nothing." Lucy said, as she stiffled a laugh, and instead took a sip of tea.

"Lucy, you need to eat more, we don't want you...um, dying again." He said, adding a nervous laugh at the end. Lucy sighed.

"Okay." She said, as Jude pushed the toast towards her. Natsu looked at her, as she took a piece of toast, and wondered if one day he could ever taste toast. He looked at Lucy, and grinned, maybe if he kissed her, the taste would be there. He could definitely taste _her_ when they kissed.

"Creepy grin." Lucy smiled at him. Natsu realised the face he was making, and laughed.

"You two are friends, right?" He asked. They looked at each other.

"Yeah. Also food sources." Lucy said. Natsu remained silent, as he always did around Jude. Even before he had met him as Lucy's farther, back when he was just... _him... _Jude gave of a sense of forbidding. The authority was his, whether they got to feed was his decision, and the needles were inserted by him. _He _was to be respected. No question about it. But now Jude was Lucy's father, and also seemed to treat Natsu as an old friend rather than a specimen. Letting Lucy answer, Natsu let his eyes trail around the dining hall. He had never been there, and could only remain silently stunned by the grandeur and the beauty of that room, along with the others he had never seen. The green side boards co-ordinated with the deep brown redish oak paneling, and the flooring was the same maroon planks. Windows lined the walls, big windows, four panes in each, flooding the room with light. The table was a mahogany affair, fit for a king, but too big. Too big for the amount of people at it.

"Natsu?" Lucy asked. "Tell him, tell him you don't have to hurt me to feed off me." Lucy pleaded, like a daughter. He gave a small quick grin at the scene, before turning to Jude.

"It's true. She can creat her own emotions." He smiled. Jude sighed. Natsu had that grin once again. He had only seen it on rare occasions, when the boy was a young child, but seeing him smile that grin now made Jude feel...paternal, yet confused. He should feel no emotions... except he did, it was obvious, and so far that day he had been showing more than ever. Jude wondered whether it had anything to do with his disappearance last night. Maybe he had gone outside, like he used to as a child...

"Natsu? Do you remember the hay bales?" The man asked, changing topic as soon as his fight was lost.

"The ones the villager's kids used to play on?" Natsu asked, his grin going.

"Yes. They have changed it their. I own that place now, I use it for horses. I want you to go and see the horses. See if you react the same way humans do. An attachment, petting, ecetera, ecetera... Lucy you, stay with me." He said, as he got up. The two young adults followed suit. Natsu looked at Lucy, and gave a suriptitious grin, before he walked out the hall, feeling Jude's emotions. He was feeling nostalgic, sad, yet happy. He wanted to talk to Lucy about her past, or maybe her mother. Jude knew Natsu could feel. Jude knew _he _knew. The young man walked out, leaving the two Heartfilias together. Jude turned to Lucy as the oak door closed.

"Lucy." He said, with paternal pride in his voice.

"Yes?" She asked, looking at him. He smiled at her.

"Come with me." He replied, before walking to the closed doors. Lucy smiled and followed.

The two walked trough the corridors, till they arrived at the hall, where the chandelier hung down on the oak room. Lucy once again looked up, smiling.

"F-Father?' Lucy said, the word still foreign in her mouth.

"Yes Lucy?" He said, unfazed, but the word still causing a beat in his heart.

"My mother... her name was Layla?" She asked him.

"Yes." He said back, as he took a leather bag of one of the grand coat hangers, and slung it over his shoulders, over a jacket that reminded Lucy of the hunters of the early twentieth century. She followed him as they walked outside, onto he quartz drive way.

"I was found with my name and date of birth on a piece of paper... did you two name me?" She asked. "And why?" She said. Jude smiled, as he turned off the drive way, and followed the side of the house, onto green grass.

"Yes...we did name you Lucy. And also we gave you that piece of paper. We knew if you were human one day you would find us if you had your birth name, and if you were dragon, you wouldn't." He smiled, as they walked down a slight slope, leaving the mansion behind. The wind was blowing through the trees, and making Lucy's skirt dance around beautifully, like as if she was the star of a painting by Monet.

"Sorry..." she said, before she looked at him, and smiled.

"Why are you sorry?" He asked her.

"I didn't look for you...I had no intention too. I thought you...I thought you didn't want me. My friend found you, and it was only when Natsu was desperate to find out who I was that I got the information she found. Names and an address." Lucy said. Jude looked at her, and despite her confession, smiled.

"Oh Lucy, I don't blame you for hating us. It is entirely understandable." He said. "Now come." He added.

They walked through the vast grounds of the mansion, tress dotting the slopy green hill, occasional patches of cornflowers, their purple petals adding colour to the green landscape. The sun shone slightly through the clouds, throwing magical rays over the countryside. Lucy breathed in the fresh air, and out.

"Here..." Jude said. Lucy looked up, seeing something not far away from them.

"That's..." she said, before Jude stopped. Lucy continued, driven by curiosity and the need to know. "It's... it's her." The young woman said, before she stopped, right in front of the grave. It was a white marble stone, built the other end of where the greenest of grass was, even greener than the rest of the lands. Lucy bent down, and looked a the heading. _Layla Heartfilia. Loving wife, devoted scientist, and-_

Lucy's mouth opened slightly.

_And loving mother. May her memory guide us through our paths._

"Loving...mother..." she whispered, as she felt a lump rise in her throat, and her heart ache in yearning, in yearning to meet this woman, the woman who bought her into the beautiful world. Lucy felt tears sting her eyes. There was a single white lily on the grave, the edges of the petals browning slightly, but nonetheless beautiful.

"Never did a day pass when she didn't think about you." Jude said, interrupting Lucy's solitude as he leaned down next to her, and put his hand on her shoulder. "Never. She constantly thought about you. We both did. I have something for you." He said. He took the leather bag of his shoulders, and opened it, the handsome clasp making a satisfying _click_. He took out a leather-bound book, bigger than a normal book, and with gold thread on it. _J.H-L.M-L.H._ The thread read. Lucy ran her finger across. "And this." Jude added, as he handed her a white envelope, yellowed by the years.

Lucy opened it,and smiled, as out of it fell the most beautiful, delicate, intricate necklace, a necklace of beads of ruby, and a golden clasp. Lucy ran her hands delicately along the precious jewllery.

"Is this..." she said, her voice a whisper.

"Layla's, yes." He smiled. "Well, it was, it's yours now." He smiled. Lucy looked at him, and smiled back. She turned to the grave stone, smiling, as she felt a warmth in her heart that had only been expanding since their arrival there.

"Thank you." She said, as she held the necklace to her heart.

Natsu sighed. The brown horse in front of him was mocking him. He _knew _it. It was standing, just a few meters out of arm's reach, letting it's hazel mane blow handsomely through the wind. Natsu wanted to feel the silky touch of the horse's hair, but the animal was just out of reach. On purpose. The horse was doing it on purpose.

"Come on..." Natsu said under his breath. He looked into the black eyes of the animal, before taking the top rail of the barrier, and putting his foot on the second bar, making his reach just a bit longer. "Come on..." he muttered again, extending his arm. The horse gave a neigh, before bending down to graze at the grass. Natsu scowled, and jumped off.

"You have a problem with me, don't you?" He said. The horse continued. Natsu scowled. "If I wasn't only able to eat pain of humans I'd definitely be in their right now eating you. Dick head." Natsu scowled. He turned around, only to see two approaching figures. He smiled, feeling happiness in both their hearts. He turned back to the horse. "You and I aren't finished yet." He muttered, before turning back round, and jogged towards the two.

"Any luck Natsu?" Jude asked, as the young man pounded over.

"No. That horse doesn't like me." Natsu said. Lucy laughed.

"I guess he is quite human after all." She said. Natsu looked at her, and gave a knowing smile. She smiled back, looking up innocently at him.

"Right!" Jude declared. "Time to go back to the lab I think. Lucy we need to find out how to control your power." Jude said, but the rest of his words were lost, as the two lovers gazed into each other's eyes.

That evening, after a long hard day in the lab, Lucy sighed, lying down on her bed. She raised her hand, and looked at it. She was able to control it. She could control the light, and she control transforming, there was only a brief period of time before Natsu made her two sides merge.

She lifted her hand, and closed her wrist around it. She still needed a food supply to transform...

Sh sat up, and looked at the desk. There was the leather bound book her father had given her. She got up, and took it, before sitting back down cross-legged on her bed.

She took a breath in, and opened it.

_My darling baby Lucy,_

The first words, on the back of the front cover. Lucy gulped.

_My darling baby Lucy,_

_You are beautiful, truly, a gorgeous baby. You have such brown eyes, that shine like no other, a small mouth and a face full of life. You beat your arms and legs with so much force! You make so much noise as well. I have just put you back down in your cot, and I know I don't have long left with you, which is why I am writing this to you, and making this book. The letters on it. Your father's name, my name (and maiden name) and your name. All our initials. In thread. Bound together. We are a family._

_I am so sorry about what we have to do, with your papa. I am so sorry..._

_I want you here. I want to see you grow, whether your hair will be the same shade as your father's and mine, whether you will be reasonable or glutanous, lazy or hard working, and fascinated. Fascinated by the world around you._

_I love you, my daughter._

_This book is yours. We are going to keep on looking for you, pictures, news, anything we can find, will go in here._

_Live well, my darling,_

_From your mother xxx_

Lucy stroked the writing, giving a small smile. She turned the page, and laughed through a sob. A picture was stuck their, a picture of a beautiful blond woman, along with a younger version of her father, holding a bundle of white cloth, enclosing Lucy, only a slight face visible, with one clenched fist in the air. She smiled, another sob-laugh coming from inside her. Next to the page was a copy of a piece of paper Lucy recognised she had kept all her life.

_Her name is Lucy Heartfilia._

_Born on the first of July nineteen-ninety-seven._

And that was all. She smiled. She turned the next page, and saw something she only vaguely remembered from one of the foster carrers showing her, and her temporary adoptive mother. A newspaper clipping.

_**LITTLE MISS MYSTERY**_

_**A young baby was left on the doorstep of an orphanage last night in the early hours of today**_

_**The baby was left with one note, stating her name and date of birth, the young girl is only four days old. She was left their in white cloth. The girl shall be bought up with the name state on the note, at the orphanage itself.**_

And that was it. Lucy smiled.

"Little miss mystery, huh?" A voice said from behind her. Lucy screamed, jumping from the bed, shutting the book and holding it close to her.

"Idiot!" She sighed, as she got up, inhaling.

"What?" He asked hurt, as he went and sat down the old chair by her desk. She rolled her eyes.

"Why are you snooping into my room? Did you go on the ceiling again?" She said, a slight grin playing on her mouth as she walked over to the desk, opened one of the draws, and put the leather book in. Natsu noticed how discreet she was being about.

"Yeah, that's right." He replied not really remembering the question. "So what was that clipping?" He persisted. Lucy frowned, he waited a moment before answering, making her way back to where she was sitting on her bed.

"Just... something." She said. Natsu opened his mouth, to ask further questions, but suddenly a persistent beeping came from Lucy's pockets. She looked at him smuggly, with a look on her face that told him she had won. Natsu frowned back. She took out her phone.

"Hello?" She said.

_"Lucy? It's me, Levy." _The other end replied. Lucy smiled.

"Levy! I have so much to tell you! It's-" she started, but wad interrupted by a sigh the other end. "Levy?" Lucy asked. Natsu looked at her concerned.

_"Lucy...I went to your house to clean a bit, whilst you were gone to your parents, but... the key wasn't under the doormat, and the door was open. Someone's broken in." _Levy said, Lucy felt the sorrow in her voice, and her own heart sank.

"What did they take?" She asked.

_"That's the weird thing. They took nothing." _She answered. Lucy frowned.

"They took nothing?" Natsu asked. Lucy nodded, she had forgotten about his excellent hearing. She then saw the look on Natsu's face, worried, concerned, almost slightly...frightened. "Pass me the phone." He said, and not waiting for an answer, he grabbed it off her. "Levy, it's Natsu." He said.

_"Natsu." _Levy replied, repeating his name as if in greeting.

"I have to ask you something very important. What does the house look like?" He asked.

_"It's in shambles. Some stuff is broken, but mainly it's just a tip. Someone was-"_

"Looking for something. Levy, go upstairs to where my room- the guest room-is." He ordered. He heard footsteps going upstairs.

_"I'm there." _She said, her voice serious.

"Okay, look under my bed. Is anything there?" He asked.

_"What exactly am I looking for?" _Came Levy's strained voice. Natsu closed his eyes, before opening them again. He sighed.

"My clothes. My old clothes." He said.

* * *

**Dun dun duuuun?! Is Natsu that worried that his old clothes might be stolen? I mean come on! He had Gucci on him. Okay sorry I'll stop and skip to the part where I try to entice you into reading next week's chapter.**

**NEXT WEEK! Why Natsu's clothes? Who broke in? And what shall they do once they found out?! Prey and Predator is coming to it's end, three, maybe four chaps left max. I hope you enjoy :')**

**Bisous :***


	20. Forever

**HEYA Wassup d00ds? So my little biscuits, here is chapter twenty! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

PREY AND PREDATOR

~20-FOREVER~

Natsu nodded silently, as the garbbled noise sounded from the other end. Lucy looked confused, as he kept nodding, before he put his hand to his temple. He dropped the phone, without having hung up.

"Fuck." He said, his voice breaking, before walking out the room.

"Hey! Natsu!" Lucy called after him, she sighed, before she bent over.

"Levy? What happened?" Lucy asked.

_"T-there's a note left on his clothes." _She replied.

"What does it say?" Lucy asked. Levy breathed in.

_"I'm nice. Come back and we'll spare her, if not _I _will kill her." _She read. Lucy's mouth opened, as she breathed in, in short, terrified bursts, even her hand shook. _"Lucy? What does it mean?" _Levy asked. Lucy's heart was beating too fast.

"It means...Sting..." she said, her voice just louder than a whisper as she hung up, and slowly put her phone on her bed. She walked out the room, and found her way to Natsu's room. When she opened the door to the room with olive green walls, she saw that Natsu was looking out of his window, his curtains were half pulled, only revealing a slight crack of light, making the room dark.

"I-I have to go." He said. "I'll run back there." He said, as he turned around, not looking at her, and walked straight past her, but Lucy caught his wrist, he just pulled it out.

"Natsu!" She called after him, as she ran out into the hall. "Natsu wait!" She said. He turned around.

"I'm sorry Lucy! I should of never come down with you! I don't belong here!" He said, in a raised voice. She saw his eyes, his onyx eyes... crying.

"Natsu, you belong with humanity!" She said. "Don't go!" She shouted.

"'If I don't he'll kill you!" Natsu shouted back. Lucy walked up to him, and slapped his face, Natsu looked shocked, before she put her hands on his cheeks, got up on her tippy toes, and kissed him gently.

"Don't resign to that life style for me." She said, as she put her forehead against his.

"I'm going back to Magnolia." Natsu said to her. Lucy clenched her eyes shut, suppressing tears.

"What all the shouting abou-" the voice of Jude said, as he climbed the stairs, only to stop, and look shocked at the scene of the two, their foreheads against each others, and tears.

"Father, Natsu is going back to Magnolia, I'm going with him." She said.

"L-Lucy?" Jude asked.

"No." Natsu said.

"Thank you for letting us stay, and it has been a wonder meeting you, I hope we'll meet again some day." She smiled, before she took a step back from Natsu, and went into her room. Natsu was left there, head hanging low, tear stains on his face. He was looking at the red carpet, but focusing on nothing. Jude walked up the stairs slowly. He stood by Natsu.

"Are you crying?" He asked. Natsu felt a lump in his throat form, as he tried to suppress sobs.

"S-sorry." He croaked, as he sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"You love my daughter?" He asked. Natsu clenched his teeth. Of course he did, of course he did, which is why he wa leaving, which was why he had to go back. He nodded.

"A lot." He said.

"And she loves you back?" Natsu nodded. "I see. Why the tears then?" Jude asked him.

"T-the others, they-"

"They want you back and her dead?" Jude asked. Natsu nodded again.

"I either go back there and she lives, or I stay with humans and she dies. I have to go back up there! I have-"

"Natsu." Jude said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder. "You love her, what would be best for her?" He asked.

"For me to go up, which is why I need to go to Magnolia on my own. She has to stay here with her father." He said.

"No Natsu, she has to go with you. She loves you back, and that would be the best for her. What happens prior to that is your choice." Jude said, as he gave Natsu a paternal smile. Natsu looked at him, mouth open slightly.

Lucy's door opened. Natsu gave Jude a smile, before turning to Lucy.

"Ready?" He asked her. Lucy looked confused a second, before smiling.

"Yes." She said.

Lucy sighed once more, as she opened her wallet.

"I can't believe you were planning on _running _back." She said, as she got out the required amount of money to give to the old, cranky, bespectalced till-man, and smiled. "There we are." She said, as he pulled the draw towards him, so that he could reach the money from in his booth, protected by a window.

"Thank you miss. Two tickets for Magnolia. Enjoy your journey." He replied, as he put the two pink tickets in the draw, and slid it to her. Lucy smiled, and took them, handing one to Natsu.

"I could of run there. We have stamina, Lucy, we could run back." He said, as he took the ticket, and they walked to the designated platform. Lucy laughed, and took his hand.

"I was never one for PE." She said, as they walked, hand in hand, over the staircase over the rail tracks. Natsu smiled at her. Under her other arm, she held the leather bound books.

They walked down the grey steps to the platform, and waited the short time for their train to arrive.

"Lucy, just because you are coming with me doesn't mean I am not going to-"

"Natsu, you are staying with me." She said. He sighed. The sounds of electricity jolting through the metal tracks could be heard, and the rumble of the vehicul made itself present as the train approached the platform. The two borded the train, and found, once again, a lone carriage, apart from a few sleeping people. Lucy and Natsu, knowing they would have a conversation that would sound like they were crazy and in real danger to other people, sat as far away as they could from them.

The train left, departing for the long journey to Magnolia. Natsu was sitting next to the window, Lucy next to him. She hesitantly put her head on his shoulder, and he gave a small smile.

"No matter how much I want to stay Lucy, I have to go." He said. He put his hand on her leg, and closed his eyes.

"You want to stay?" She asked.

"Of course I do. More than anything. I would die to stay. With Levy, Juvia, humanity in general, but more importantly with you. I don't want to think about what it will be like...when..." he sighed, turned his head to her, as she looked up at him. He put his hand on her cheek, and kissed her, long, and meanfulingly.

"That much?" She whispered, as there lips momentarily parted.

"Yeah. I would die for it." He said back, as they kissed more. Natsu clenched his eyes tightly shut, as he felt a sting in his eyes. Tears, once more. "I love you so much." He whispered to her, and didn't let her reply, as he had already started kissing her again. He put his hand on her waist, as she put her hand on his neck. She was strangely quiet, normally she would of broken the kiss to say something, he knew that. He put his other hand on her cheek again, and felt something warm, and wet. He broke their kiss. "Lucy?" He asked. She gave a quiet sob.

"I...I..." she was crying. "I can't let you go Natsu. I need you!" She said. "I don't care if I die! You have to stay with us... " she cried, as she lent on his shoulder. He felt his heart throb. She would die for him... He put his hand on her head.

"Lucy... We just can't live without each other now, huh?" He asked. She gave a small laugh.

"I guess not." She said, as he pushed her up.

"Hey. We had fun didn't we?" He asked. She smiled, and nodded. Her eyes locked onto his, and suddenly, Natsu felt his lip tremble, his brow knit together. "Dammit." He croaked, as he grabbed her, and held her, never wanting to let her go. There was no way either of them could escape the predicament. No way he could stay and she could live.

"We...we can fight him." Lucy said. Natsu gave a dry laugh.

"No, it isn't just him. It's Gajeel and Rogue as well..." he said to her.

"It's us two." She said.

"Two against three. You can't Lucy, we don't know the extent of your power and the toll it could take, we don't even know if you can transform yet... if it were just Sting and us two we could...but even I am out of training..." he said as he wiped his eyes. "There is no way out of this Lucy. I am going back up. Let's just...let's just enjoy this journey, okay?" He asked. Lucy nodded.

They wiped their tears away, and regained their positions. Lucy on his shoulder, Natsu his hand on her leg.

"Well, we both beat Levy to it." Lucy finally said.

"To what?"

"Being in a relationship." Lucy smiled. Natsu laughed.

"Guess 'purely platonic' went down the drain then. Thinking about that, you should feed Lucy." Natsu said.

"You should too, after all, who knows-" she stopped, and raised her head, her eyes wide.

"Are you okay?" He asked, turning to her.

"No..." she said.

"What?" He asked worried.

"No, no I shouldn't feed..." Lucy smiled. "I shouldn't feed at all." She said, and turned to him.

"What are you on about? Of course you need too feed other wise you-"

"I die! Exactly I die Natsu!" She laughed. "And what would happen when you lose the thing forcing you too go back up? You can stay down Natsu, and then you can resurect me, and we can get away from there Natsu! None of them will know, they don't know what I am!" She laughed. Natsu's face dropped.

"Lucy, no." He said.

"What?! You're kidding right!?" She said.

"No, it can't work." He said. "We don't even know if you'll survive long, you might literally die or..." he sighed, and

"Think about it! Sting is in Magnolia right? I am on the news, along with Cana. I die, it's on the news as well, Sting will see. You go up there, once I am dead, tell them you found a dragon, and tell Sting, just Sting, to meet you somewhere in the woods. You come down, wake me up, and we can-"

"Lucy!" Natsu insisted. "We are not going to risk your life like that! You have a life in Magnolia! You have a life without me! I have a life up there! I can't... I can't let you risk your life like that. During the time you are out you might die!" Natsu said. "You are a newborn, you need lots and lots of food. I can't... you'll die." He said. Lucy scowled at him. He sighed, and approached his lips, but she turned away. He rolled his eyes. "I'm hungry..." he said.

"I am doing it whether you like it or not." Lucy said, before Natsu sighed, and kissed her, he didn't take. "I am angry at you, you better take something, I am not kissing you out o-" she was interrupted as Natsu's lips crushed against hers again. She was taken aback, at the longing, the love, the sadness in that kiss. He slowly leaned away.

"Okay..." he said, before he kissed her again. Lucy was lost in a daze at the previous kiss, that the kiss Natsu was now giving her gave no pleasure strong enough to extract the pain. He leaned his head to the side a bit, kissing her deeply, and putting his hand on her jaw bone, but also shuffling closer to her, and putting his other hand on her leg, sliding his hand vulgarly under her skirt. She suddenly put her hand over his, just the fabric of her skirt separating their hands from touching. She liked it. She was giving. He was taking.

It was only when the emotion came in that Natsu realised how hungry he was. He slid his hand higher, and stroked her skin. Lucy let him feed, enjoying it, despite the feeling of weakening. She felt at his mercy, which was, despite the vulgarity, unexplicably enjoyable. She _wanted_ him to take out his own desires on her, no matter how far. Natsu felt her yearning, and slid his other hand down her neck, before gong right down, and sliding up underneath her top. He teased her, by putting his index just underneath her bra, going ever so closely to the part of her breast that would make her go into a haze of pleasure, so much pleasure she would probably stop feeling the pain she had created for herself. He parted there mouths ever so slightly, the flow still continuing, as opened his eyes to look at hers. They were closed, her face flushed, her mouth parted, her lips wet.

She was there.

With him.

And he was about to leave her.

Suddenly Lucy seemed so precious to him, like something that he had to hold with both hands cupped, or she would fall and shatter. Her closed eyes were so innocent, her features so delicate. He stopped, and sat back, eyes closed.

"Enough?" She asked, as he retreated his hands.

"M-mhm." He said, looking out of the window. _Detach yourself from her. It will only hurt more when you leave. Otherwise she will die. You have to protect her. Don't let her die, she has to feed-_

"Natsu? I'm sorry." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"I am going to die, and you will have no choice but to stay with me." She smiled devilishly at him. All of a sudden Lucy seemed much less fragile.

The train journey continued with Natsu occasionaly telling her she should feed too, and Lucy saying she wouldn't. Despite the arguments, Natsu still put his hand on her leg, and kissed her at one point.

The journey came to an end, and the sun was setting, making the vessel gleam on the tracks. Natsu was sleeping, head against the glass. Lucy sighed. He was too good... of course she would survive dying for a few days. She tried to fool herself into thinking that, but it could be more than a few days.

One of her sides would of already collapsed, so what if it 'died' of hunger? And what if the other side collapsed?

Two scenarios in which her death was inevitable.

Nonetheless, it was Natsu. She would do anything for him. A smile forced her lips up, and she stroked his hair back, as his gentle breathing made a calm cadence. She smiled more, as he clenched his eyes, and opened them.

"Hmm?" He asked, confused.

"We're nearly there." She said gently. Natsu yawned.

"Okay. Lucy, when was the last time you fed?" He asked.

"Two days ago. I am fine-"

"Crap. You need to feed." He said, as they got up and walked to the door.

"Why?" She asked.

"You're still a newborn, Wendy had to eat everyday, and also you are in human form, meaning your are consuming your dragon energy faster, seriously Lucy, you have to-"

"No. I will die. Sting is in Magnolia, which is perfect. I bet he will be able to find me, with murderous intentions, but I will die, and then you won't have anything that they can blackmail you to go up. You can stay down, and we can live somewhere else, we can go back to my dad's, even maybe find your-"

"Lucy..." he sighed. She smiled at him, as they stepped onto the platform of the busy station.

"And even if you're against it, my choice." She smiled, before they walked through the station.

"Lucy?" Someone asked. Naturally, the girl turned around, before realising her mistake. She was meant to be gone.

Someone was looking at her with big eyes.

"N-Natsu, go back, I'll see you there." She said to him. He nodded, and walked away. Lucy gulped.

"Jacob." She said. "I guess this needs explaining, huh?" She said, giving a slight smile.

"H-how, I mean..." he stopped, and bit down on his lips. She walked to him.

"I'm alive." She said.

She was alive. _She _was alive. But not Jacob's parents or sister. _She _was alive.

"Lucy goddamn, you need too tell me something." Jacob said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to the metal chairs in the grand station.

"Hey! That hurts!" She said, as he sat her down, and sat down next to her.

"Seriously! Who is the blond?" He asked, his voice a loud whisper. She looked at him, her breath caught.

"T-the blond?" She asked, brown eyes wide. He nodded.

"Yes! He came to my house, and... and..." Jacob stopped, and grabbed her collar, putting his head on her jacket, wishing he could sacrifice her, _her._

"Oh god..." her voice shook. "Oh god, oh my god." She repeated, and put her hands on his chin, pushing his head up.

"He..." Jacob gulped. "Who is he?" He sniffed.

"S-Sting." She whispered. "What did he want?" She asked, suddenly feeling very vulnerable, she needed to find Natsu.

"He was looking for you, he asked me where you lived, and-"

"Did you tell him?!" She shouted. Jacob looked at her.

"I-I had no choice, I-"

"It's okay. Dammit." She said. Natsu was going straight to her house, she needed to stop him, the whole plan could be ruined if Sting got him. She stepped up, and ran, she ran through the station.

The station was one of the smaller (nonetheless crowded) stations of Magnolia. It was not far from her house, a twenty minute walk, and if you were Natsu, able to run through the deserted alleyways, it was a five minute stroll. He sighed, as he turned another corner, and ran, nobody was in sight.

Lucy ran, as fast as she could through Magnolia, the late summer sun baring it's fangs on her. Still, she ran. The streets and people were like an obstacle path, preventing her from warning the man she loved of their defeat. She ran onto the avenue, people in all directions. She pushed, excused herself, pushed more. She stopped.

"Natsu!" She shouted, desperately hoping he would hear her. "Fuck..." she groaned. Usually Lucy never swore. She saved it for when she needed to let out some desperation.

Natsu saw the house, and walked up the stairs. He put his hand on the knob, and closed his eyes, checking for signs of life.

None.

He opened the door.

"Hello?" He called, no answer. He sighed, and looked at the place. Levy had obviously made an effort to clean up, and she had managed very well.

Lucy ran once again, still on the avenue, next to her the four lane road, beeping with cars. She thought she heard her name, she turned around, only to get pushed, she stumbled backwards, muttering apologies, before she got pushed again, trying to get her bearings.

"Lucy...little lamb..."

That time, she was certain.

Someone was holding onto her arm, and it certainly wasn't Natsu.

Lucy let out a whimper, as she realised who held her.

Sting.

* * *

**SO GUYS BOOM BADA BOOM THAT WASN'T A GREAT CHAPTER!**

**ANYWAYS! HERE IS A LITTLE RECAP OF THE PPPRRREEEDDDIIIIICAAAAMMMMEEENNNNT**

**So, Lucy and Natsu have finally admitted their love for each other, but naturally this story can't end with "and then they lived at Lucy's dad's house for the rest of their lifes and had a lot of dragonesque kiddies".**

**So yes, they kissed, lil bit of makin' out all that, and the next day, Natsu received a call, as you all know.**

**It was a note left on his old clothes. Left by Sting!**

** A Oh noooeeesss!**

**The note states that if he doesn't go back LUCY WILL BE KILLLLLLEEEDDD**

**But Sting doesn't know Lucy is a motherfucking halfie bruh. **

**\o/ yay and advantage!**

**So Lucy comes up with a plan, that she dies due to not eating enough, and Stng finds out, meaning Natsu can stay in Magnolia, wake her up, and then they run away off into the setting sun.**

**'_')7 such a great plan omg yus**

**BUT NOPE Natsy is like "fuck no you could die sweet cheeks" And he's right! She could die!**

** A Oh noes why?!**

**1) During the dead period, her human side could collapse of not eating, causing death**

**2)During the dead period, her dragon side might literally die of hunger, causing her human side to slowly disintegrate with no way of waking her up**

**3)STING MIGHT QUITE LITERALLY KILL HER BEFORE SHE HAS THE CHANCE TO FAKE HER DEATH**

**So Natsu is like "ferk no"**

**AND THUS LUCY FOUND HERSELF IN STING'S CLUTCHES**

**THE END**

**Okay, so I hope that helped clarify.**

**(Ignore the loop hole in her plan. In both their plans. They are n00bs.)**

**ANYWHO, PREY AND PREDATOR IS COMING TO A CLOSE, THREE CHAPTERS LEFT BABIES, I HOPE YOU HAVE BEEN ENJOYING THIS!**


	21. Memoir

**Hey guys! It was my 16th birthday yesterday, I am the same age as Levy when the manga started now :3, anyways, here's chap 21 :D**

* * *

PREY AND PREDATOR

~21-MEMOIR~

_I was a little kid, a little a kid. Even to this day I can hardly remember being that little kid. I was... happy. At first._

_Then I fell ill._

_I remember, a woman, with black hair, she was short, beautiful, slim, yet I think she became fat... her eyes. I remember those well. Her eyes were an amber colour, like leaves in autumn, burning with life, yet they became tired... it was my fault. Then he came._

_I remember a man, but with pink hair. He had dark green eyes. They were big and sharp, not like my mother's, my mother's were sharp, and cat eyed. My father however, dark green eyes, big. He used to pick me up, and put me over his shoulder. I didn't laugh. _

_I remember animals. Cows, chickens,... before I used to play with them. After, I didn't even eat them. _

_There was also one other hair, like my mother's, he smiled so much, and used to pull me onto his back and run around. He called me heavy. I didn't retaliate._

_Those three people, now they seem like a dream, I wish I could go back to them and tell them I was okay, I was human, not... not sick anymore._

_But no... my name... no one knows my name._

_Apart from me._

_If I told Levy I could go back?_

_No... I died in their eyes. I am the lost son they shall never speak about. The mythical family member of that place. The person who is meant to be sitting at that chair, eating that plate of..._

_Not emotions._

_Fifteen years ago that was. Fifteen years since I have been there. And all I remember is eyes and hair... _

_I can't go back there. It would bring a whole other world crashing down onto me. I need to stay with her. But I can't. But I can, if I agree to... no no. I can't let her die... no matter how much I wish I could agree to her plan. I love her so much. She can't die. I'll just go. Go..._

_If we had met some other how, if I had been a human..._

_I would of known what love was. I probably wouldn't of fallen for her straight away, I think she would of fallen for me first. She'd laugh and her cheeks would go pink, and then just to play with her I'd brush my hand against hers, make her hit it away, and I would probably smile, and despite wanting to play with her, I would of fallen for her._

_I would of bought her too my parents. Introduced her as my friend. They'd be proud of me, tall, strong, and helpful. I'd definitely want to help around the farm. I'd tell my parents this is Lucy. My...'friend.' I'd say, knowing we were just that, but we were more._

_Then one day I would kiss her. And she would __trust__ me. Because I'd be human._

_No Sting._

_No cave._

_No feeding._

_Just me, her, my family, her family._

_If only..._

_What's the celebration humans do? I saw it on TV. Lucy explained it to me. Two people who love each other get... married, married, that's the one. A suit and a dress, and two rings. There. That's what would happen. We'd get married, and both out families would be there._

_They'd be happy._

_Laughing._

_I wouldn't feel it. I'd _see _it. No need to be a dragon to see it. The smiles. There would have to be smiles at our wedding._

_She is so young... what have I done... she's willing to die for me, to risk her life in a way so extreme for me... yet she is only seventeen. I am nineteen, I should be behaving responsibly for her. Yet I am just... not helping... _

_I want a mother to talk too._

_I want a father to consult._

_I want my family back._

Natsu sat down on the couch in Lucy's sitting room, head in his hands. Why did he feel a certain unease in his heart? Where was she? Surely speaking to that guy wouldn't of taken that long...

"W-what do you want?" Lucy whispered, already knowing the answer.

"Natsu. What have you done to him?" Sting asked, as he leaned closer to her ear. She could feel his emotions, excitement, hunger, yet rage.

"I've done nothing to him." Lucy said. She felt strange... she felt-

"Lies. He is a dragon. He wouldn't run away with some human! What have you promised him?! What have you given him?!" He said, starting to shout, people were turning heads. He sighed, and lowered his voice. "Natsu wouldn't just... go off with a _human _like that." Sting said.

"Maybe he's more humane than you think?" Lucy said. Sting growled.

"Maybe. If that's the case you are making him humane. Therefore you have to die." He said. "And I guess I better kill you the right way. Let me feed." He said. Lucy shook her head, as he spun her around. "You can feel it already, can't you? The sorrow... because you won't see Natsu again, you won't get to make him human. You're gonna die." He said. Lucy's eyes clenched shut.

"No... no please..." she moaned like a wounded animal. She knew it was a moment when she was vulnerable. Her dragon side was weak, her human side was up. He could feel her emotions. She was acting...human for once. He was confident. He was confident he could eat her.

"Ha, but you know what, Lucy? Dying's not that bad... all your troubles and worries...gone." He said, putting a hand to her cheek.

"S-stop." She said, crying, as she tried to resist to the happiness.

But wait! If he fed of her Dragon side, if she created sadness, then her dragon side would be even more weakened.

And then she could...die. Lucy focused on the blank piece of paper, and imagined sorrow, a marine blue ink, pouring onto it, Sting smiled as he felt it, and bought her mouth to his. She didn't want to kiss him, she wanted Natsu... but his lips found her none the less, and he fed of her.

She felt the emotion leave her, she felt Sting's emotions become more hazy as her Dragon side got tired. Then she felt dizzy. She tore herself from Sting with all her might.

"Lucy!" He growled, as she pushed him, with a giant effort. She started running, breathing heavily. Her human side was feeling weak too...

If her human side collapsed as well, then she'd-

Lucy fell to the ground, eyes open, with a last breath.

She'd die.

Natsu looked worridely out the window.

It had been a while, and Lucy still wasn't back. He sighed, and sat down on the couch, grabbing the remote control and jabbing the 'on' button down, as he had seen Lucy do it many times before. On came the TV with a slight _zap_. He sat back as the mindless babble of the teleshoppers telling him about some miracle electric salad cleaner. He tried to let the words wash over him, and stop the endless questioning in his head. _'When will she be back? Has something happened? How can I persuade her that I need to go for the best? How can I live without her?' _The questions buzzed around in his mind, remaining unanswered. He closed his eyes hard, running his hands through his hair. God.. she had been so long! He looked up at the door impatiently? No? Was she not going to suddenly come in through those doors and smile at him, walk towards him, sit on his lap, arm around his neck and kiss him, saying that it was there last moments together, he had to go back up? Or would she come through, a sad look on her face, begging him to stay, to go through with her crazy plan...

Or would she not come back at all?

With an angered sigh, Natsu threw the controller onto the couch, and marched towards the door, grabbing a jacket Levy had given him from the coat rack next to the door.

_Beep beep beep beep._

"Telephone." Natsu said to himself. What did Lucy do when the telephone rung? Picked it up. He walked towards the ringing object, and picked up.

"Hello?"

_"Oh god Natsu! Natsu! It's Levy! God you need to come!" _Levy's voice said from the other end. Natsu's heart seized up. He could hear sirens and people's voices around her. Levy was breathing heavily.

"What's happened?" He said, the words only just coming out of his mouth. There was a sigh.

_"I-it's Lucy, there's been a-"_

Natsu slammed the phone down, and grabbed his jacket, slipping it on, before turning the door handle and rushing outside, slamming the door behind him.

He didn't care if anyone saw his unnatural speed, he ran as fast as his legs would carry him, with one thing on his mind. _What's happened to Lucy? _Had it been Sting? Did someone shout out that the disappeared girl was just there? Was it something to do with that guy that recognized her? Or was it just a trivial accident? He needed to run faster! As he ran through the alleyways, swirls of leaves flew up, before fluttering down again as the wind died down.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the avenue was there. He kept his run to a light jog, as he went towards the crowd of people. There was a siren wailing, and phones on, taking pictures. Natsu stopped.

"Levy!" He called, seeing the blue haired girl, on her tippy toes, tying to see over the crowd of people. She turned around, and once again, Natsu's heart jolted.

Tears were running down her face, her hand was clenching her jacket where her heart was, and her eyes were lost. She stumbled towards him. He bit his lip.

"Natsu... Natsu... she's-"

"Shh." He said, as he walked up to the crowd. He was tall, so he only needed to raise his head slightly to see the sight. When he did however, he couldn't breath, or move.

There were people rushing around the circle in the center of the crowd, where the ambulance was, rushing around someone's body.

Blond hair splayed around the stretcher, one arm lolling off it, and a person with their two fingers at her wrist. Her brown eyes stared, lifeless, in his direction.

"L-Lucy..." He said, mustering everything in him not to shout her name or run through the crowd calling after her. It took him everything. His hands twitched, as he looked, fixated, as someone put a white sheet over her, covering her face, and those gorgeous brown eyes from sight. The stretcher was rolled into the ambulance, and doors were closed. Natsu looked back at Levy, his mouth open.

"What happened?" He said, his voice silent. She was still crying. He mentally begged her to stop, to stop making him want to as well.

"I-I don't know, I was walking along here and I saw a commotion, so-"

"She died, Natsu." Someone said, standing behind the pair. Natsu turned around calmy.

"Sting... Levy. Go to the house." He said.

"I-uh-who is he?" She said, stuttering, as Sting gave a boyish smile.

"Go Levy." Natsu said.

"What do you think about this, what was your name? Levy. She died because of mister stubborn here." Sting said, adding a slight laugh at the end. Levy looked confused, before she walked away.

"Why?" Natsu said, keeping his anger to a mild simmer.

"Why what?" Sting asked.

"Why do you want me back so much?" He said. Sting sighed.

"My my... doesn't family mean anything to you Natsu? We're brothers. We gotta stick together. Wendy's been devastated... Even Rogue has shown a bit of annoyance from your disappearance, and this is from creatures who usually don't show any emotions..." Sting laughed.

"I don't want to be up there. This is my choice." Natsu said.

"And we are saying you can't be down here. You're living in an illusion. You can't be human." He said. "You can't make friends. You can't. They die. Proof, bye bye Lucy." Sting said, mockingly waving in the direction the ambulance had gone. Natsu clenched his teeth. "Aw come on... don't be angry." Sting said.

"How did she die?!" Natsu shouted. If she had just collapsed, then maybe... then maybe...

"Does it even matter?! Come on!" Sting shouted back. Natsu sighed. There was no way out of this, unless...

"A week."

"A week what?"

"A week. Give me a week down here, to sort things out, you know..." He tried to remember the name. "What humans do when one dies... a funeral. At least let me go to her funeral. Then I'll stay up there, I won't ever come back down. I promise." Natsu said. Sting frowned.

"Fine. A week, or that girl... Levy, she dies." He said. Natsu nodded.

Levy opened the unlocked door, sobbing hard, before she collapsed onto the doormat. She cried, and cried. It couldn't be, it was impossible... She couldn't be... dead.

"L-Lucy..." She sobbed, before tears came once more. What did the blond guy mean? What did he mean she died because of Natsu? What did he mean,'she died'? She couldn't die! She hadn't died! It was a lie... all a lie.

"Levy." She heard Natsu say. She hadn't heard him come in. He kneeled down next to her, putting a hand on her back.

"W-what's going on?!" She shouted at him, pushing away from him, weary of him. "What's going on Natsu?! Why is Lucy dead?! Is it really your fault?!" Levy shouted.

"Levy, calm-" He said, approaching her.

"Get away from me! Why? Why? Why is she dead? It thought you were our friend Natsu! I thought we could trust you?! What happened? Did she die so you could stay here?! Is that it?! Who's next, huh? Who's next?!" She shouted. "Lucy! Cana! Who's next I said!" She screamed, tears coming fast and relentless. Natsu stood up, and looked away.

"N-no one is next. Levy, please, you have to listen to me, calm down!" He said, looking straight at her. She stopped, and looked up at him. He sighed. "There's a chance Lucy might not be dead... " he said.

"W-what?!" Levy said, between her tears.

"Just... Remember the note? Come back or she dies?" Natsu asked, Levy nodded. "Well... she insisted that I stay here. She came up with a crazy plan... It's a long story, but whilst we were at her father's place, we discovered that when one of her sides is too hungry, well normally you'd faint, right? But both her sides are independent on one another. One side faints, the other side collapses, making her seem dead. No pulse, no breathing, until she feeds. Her plan was to 'die' and make sure Sting knew, like that there was nothing to blackmail me with left. Then, I was to wake her up, and we were too run away... I was against it, I mean..."

"You love each other." Levy said, more of a statement than a question. Natsu sighed.

"Yes, unfortunately... I don't want her to run away from the life she has here, just for me-" Natsu was interrupted as Levy's palm came harshly into contact with his cheek, slapping him.

"That, is for not staying with her!" She shouted, on her tippy toes, so she could seem a bit more intimidating. Natsu looked shocked at her. She raised her hand again, and slapped once more. "That! Is for being thick as a wall! She isn't doing this just for you! She is doing for herself too! She wouldn't run away with any man! She wouldn't put her life at risk for any man! She needs to be with you, Natsu! This is for her too!" Levy shouted. She raised her hand once more, and instead of slapping, just placed her hand on his cheek. "And this, this is for loving her, and caring about her." Levy said, before she put her arms around him. He just looked down at the blue haired girl. "She better be fake-dead, or else I will kill you by the way." Levy muttered. Natsu gave a smile, and patted her head.

"I get it." He said.

"It's probably going to be on the news. I'll watch." Levy said. Natsu nodded, and walked upstairs.

He went into his room, and sat on the bed, before closing his eyes.

Her lifeless eyes.

He opened them again, and sighed.

Sting knew about Levy... The situation was now unescapable. He'd wake Lucy up, then go back to the cave. On his own.

Lucy...

The day passed in silence, Levy watching the news, waiting for some info on how she died. The evening came, and Natsu finally came down from his room.

"Perfect timing, the evening news is coming on." Levy said, patting the space of couch next to her. He walked over, and sat down, as the chime for the news played.

_"Welcome, to the early evening news. First of all, we shall talk about the breaking news, the return of Lucy Heartfilia, missing teenager."_

"So this is the news, huh?" Natsu said.

"Yeah, she's been all over the news, along with Cana recently. They're calling it the dragon affair..." Levy sighed.

"What? How come?"

"Watch on." She said.

_"Lucy Heartfilia disappeared on the fifth of July, whilst on a school trip up the mountains close to her hometown, Magnolia. Many of her classmates said that there was a forest fire, and some sort of wind turbulence, which led investigators to believe she may of died in the fire, her body yet to be discovered... But some other of her classmates claim it was in fact, a creature that turned into a man, before turning back into, what was described, as a dragon. The police think that use of low class drugs may of caused this rumor. Shortly afterwards however, when a volunteer search party consisting mainly of Lucy's friends went up there, another girl went missing. Eighteen-year-old Cana Alberona, a close friend of Lucy's. Once again, the witnesses described a beast, that turned into a man. _

_But earlier today, on one of the four main avenues in Magnolia, a girl who has been identified as Lucy Heartfilia collapsed onto the street, unfortunately, she showed no signs on life. Here we have doctor Carol Rowen updating us on the reasons Lucy died."_

Levy and Natsu leant closer to the screen.

_"Thanks to blood analysis, we managed to find out that Lucy died of malnutrition. This can lead us to suggest that in the confusion of the forest fire, Lucy got lost in the forest, and only managed to find her way back recently, before collapsing of hunger, and dying. This suggestion may seem far-fetched, but many cases like this have happened before. I would also like to personally pay my respects to Lucy's friends and family."_

Natsu leant back, and sighed

"One less worry." He said.

"What do you mean, one less, surely she's going to be okay now?" Levy asked.

"Now we know her dragon side must of failed her. What if, during the time before her funeral, her human side fails her?" Natsu asked Levy. She gasped.

'She'd...die..." Levy whispered.

"Yes... Which is why you need to hurry up and organize your human burial." Natsu said to Levy. The girl nodded.

"I'll get her friends involved... So this is what'll happen, right? An empty casket, after you've woken her up?" Levy asked.

"Yes. Before the funeral, just before any of the guests arrive, I'll wake her up, and we'll leave... " Natsu said, knowing his true intentions were to leave Lucy, and go alone up to the cave. Levy couldn't die either.

Levy left, and Natsu was left alone in the house. He was worrying every single moment about Lucy, whether she was okay, if she would survive... He sighed, and went to bed.

* * *

**There my lil biscuits. The next chapter, 22, is a short one, so I might post it on the middle of the week, because I won't have internet the next weekend coming... so you shall get chapter 23, the last one, on the 26 of September. Wow, almost finished, huh ^^ Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, many bisous :* :***

**NEXT CHAPTER! We take a tour in Lucy's memories...**


	22. Lost

**HEY GUYS! As promised here is a kind of prequel to the end, and since I won't be able to publish this weekend, here is a short bonus/prequel. Enjoy!**

* * *

PREY AND PREDATOR

~22-LOST~

"Lucy?" Someone said, knocking on the fifteen year old's door.

"Mm?" She asked, still lying down on her bed, not wanting to show her face.

"You're okay right? I mean... we did tell you that she couldn't be your permanent foster mother... you had a good two years, right?"

"Cana..." Lucy sighed. "I am fine." Lucy said, her words muffled into the pillow. Cana sat down on Lucy's bed. She put her hand on her back.

"Come on Lucy..."

"It isn't ike she's my real mom anyway. Just a temporary one, because that's fair." Lucy muttered.

"No it isn't. None of this is fair. The fact your parents left you, the fact my mum died. None of this is fair. We are the rejects of life Lucy. Which is why we got to stick together. Now that women who was meant to love you like a mother fucked off to Australia. She _isn't_ a reject of life, yet she rejected someone who she could of loved. You deserve better Lucy." Cana said.

"We aren't going to be fostered Cana. People want young kids. We're already teens. As soon as I turn sixteen, I am out of here."

"Good good. Also Lucy, you've got to wake up."

"Huh?"

"I said wake up Lucy! Look lively! You're the one moving out here!" Mrs Jackson said, as she waved her hand to all the boxes around Lucy's room.

"W-what?" Lucy asked, feeling drowsy. Wasn't she just with Cana?

"Hello? You're moving silly! You've got a house thanks to the money your foster mom put in that account for you!" Mrs Jackson said.

"Oh yeah... sorry... I zoned out." Lucy muttered, before picking up one of the boxes. That's right... she had turned sixteen, and bought a house with the money the orphanage and her foster mother had given her. Not to mention the weekend job she had. She was ready to live on her own.

"My son, Jacob, he's going to help you move in." Mrs Jackson said. Lucy gave a laugh.

"Jacob Jackson. Fun name." She said.

"Now now, don't make fun of him. He wants to be a policeman you know... Ah, he's here." Mrs Jackson said, looking at her phone. Lucy stood up, and looked at the door along with Mrs Jackson. A face popped round the corner, tanned skin, black hair, and a kind smile.

"Lucy, right? Hi mum." He said, walking in. He walked over to Lucy. "Listen Lucy... um... you have to kinda... you know, wake up."

"What?"

"I said, you should of bought a jumper. It might be cold up there."

"L-Levy? When did this happen?" Lucy said, stopping, and looking around.

"Wow Lucy... you are so tired." Levy mocked. "Come on!" She said. "Don't you remember, we're going-"

"Camping. Up the mountain." Lucy said.

"That's right." Levy laughed. Lucy hitched her bag up, and looked around. It was a pretty sight, the path up to the forest. She turned around, and looked down.

"Pretty. It gives you a sense of superiority." Lucy laughed.

"I know what you mean." Levy laughed. Lucy turned around, and yawned. "Lu-Chan! Tired already?" Levy laughed once more.

"No, just yawning." Lucy said, hitching her bag up, showing that she didn't feel the burn in her leg muscles.

"Yawning means you're tired, silly." Levy laughed. Lucy smiled.

"Well..."

"Yawning can also mean one is lacking oxygen." Her other friend, Erza, said to her.

"Exactly! I am just lacking oxygen." Lucy smiled.

"Yeah right." Levy laughed. "You know? You should definitely wake up." Levy said.

"I-I am awake! What do you mean?"

"I was speaking to Sting, human. Shut it." Natsu said to her. Lucy gasped in pain. Her back ached, and her wrists were sore from the cuffs. "Tell Gajeel I'll come back later. I'm hungry." Natsu said, looking at Lucy. Lucy looked scared up at him.

"Oh. Fear spike." Sting laughed, as he walked out the cave entrance.

Natsu waited, till the steps had gone away. He crouched down before Lucy, who's breathing became quicker.

"You wanna know how I feed?" He said. Lucy looked at him, unresponsive, head against the wall. Natsu laughed. "Fear and curiosity, huh?" He smiled. "We feed off emotions." He said.

"W-what?!" Lucy said, as she saw him grin.

"Wake up. Come on. Wake up." He said, lighting his hand, and reaching towards her face. She squinted.

"I-I am-"

_Dead._

_I am dead._

_I am not dead yet. But I feel it. I don't know where I am. I am lost. I feel like I am floating. Floating on who I am, who I was, and who I will be. If I will be. I know one thing. _

_It's got hold of my ankle._

_I can feel it's fingers digging into my skin, not letting me go, it wants more of me. But it will have to wait. _

_It's holding on both of my ankles now..._

_Damn, you need to help me. I am waiting for you, for you to fight those hands off. I know you'll come...I know... please don't leave me..._

_Dammit Natsu._

_Save me already._

_Before I...before I die._

* * *

**There. Next time, Chapter 23-Rise. The last chapter of Prey and Predator. See you next time biscuits, bisous :* :***


	23. Rise

**Dun dun dun! Here it is! Last chapter babies! Enjoy!**

PREY AND PREDATOR

~23-RISE~

_It gives us great displeasure and sadness to announce the death of_

_Lucy Heartfilia_

_On the 23 of September._

_A service shall be held in memory for her. Please join us at the North Magnolia chapel, on the 1st of October._

Natsu looked at the pale white card, and sighed, before putting it on the kitchen counter.

"Is it okay?" Levy asked.

"I wouldn't know... it seems good." Natsu said, smiling at her. He was stressing so much. She had to be alive. She had to be alive. Please, _please_ let her be alive.

"Don't worry." Levy said, walking to Natsu's side and putting a hand on his shoulder. He smiled at her. "Now go on. Get your stuff ready. I'll go get something for Lucy."

"Okay." Natsu said, going upstairs. He walked into his room, and sighed. He didn't really need anything... but...

"Fine..." He sighed, as he crouched down on his knees, and reached under his bed. He pulled out his old clothes. The black sleeveless hoodie. The black jeans. And the black boots. It suited him. He sighed, as he stripped, and put them on. It only seemed fitting to leave in the clothes in which he came... he'd leave the other clothes. Natsu walked downstairs, and looked once more at the pictures on the wall. He closed his eyes.

"Sorry..." he whispered.

"What you muttering?" Levy asked, as she came downstairs.

"N-nothing..." he said.

"Why those clothes? None of my brother's ones?" She said.

"No...these are my clothes since the beginning... it only feels right to leave in them..." He laughed.

"I get it... I've packed her a photo of her friends. So she won't forget us..."

"Come visit us sometime. If it's hushed up of course." Natsu said, laughing.

"Yeah... Also Natsu, I heard you mention. Your full name, it _is _Natsu Dragneel right? I haven't mistaken myself?"

"Yeah that's my name." He said.

"And you started off human. Till you got sick, right?" Levy asked.

"Yes yes..." He sighed.

"Okay... There's a letter in here for you two once you get the chance to read it." Levy said.

Natsu nodded. She sighed, and put the bag down. "I'm going to get changed for the funeral." She said, as she walked back up the stairs. He nodded.

Natsu sat down on the couch. Today was the last day he would see her. The last day he would kiss her, feel her, look at her... if she was alive.

Once again, fear striked in his heart. He put his hands around his head, and clenched his eyes shut.

Her lifeless brown eyes.

He gasped, and opened his eyes.

He walked to the window, and looked outside.

Sunrise...

He sighed, and closed his eyes.

"Natsu?" Levy's voice came, after a while. "I'm changed. Come on." She said. He turned around.

"Black suits you." He said. She smiled sadly.

"Thank you. Same goes to you. Let's go, carry her bag." Levy said, pointing at the grey rucksack. He hitched it onto his shoulder as Levy put a black coat on.

They walked out, Levy locking the door behind her.

The air was cold and moist. Dew was on a few strands of grass, and their breaths rose in mist.

They walked silently through the small streets over to north chapel. It was actually a church, down at the foot of the mountain range in the north of the town. Levy breathed in, and out.

"There." She said, turning a corner. In front of them was the church, a honey limestone colour. It gave of a sense of forbidding in the cold morning, along with the rest of the graveyard. "We've got thirty minutes before people will start arriving." She said.

"Okay." Natsu said, his throat clenching up. Levy went through the kissing-gate, followed by Natsu. It squeaked on its hinges. He looked around. Everything was so grey...

Levy opened the doors to the church, and walked in. Natsu turned around. And took a breath. The coffin was there. It was an oak coffin, closed. She was in there...

"Natsu. Come on." Levy said. Natsu gulped. He walked up.

He ran his hands along the seals of the coffin, before flicking them up. He took a breath, before lifting the lid.

Her eyes wee closed...

Her skin was pale...

Her look seemed so peaceful...

She was dressed in a white flowing gown, a single white lily in her hand, her golden hair loosing it's colour.

"Go on!" Levy said. Natsu sighed.

"Please..." he whispered. He collected the emotion, and put a hand on her lips, easing her mouth open. He placed his lips on hers, cold and unresponsive, before he let the emotion go.

_Take._

He clenched his eyes shut, as he warmed his hand up ever so slightly, hoping the warmth might give her a sign.

_Take._

There was nothing. She still wasn't moving or breathing.

_Take!_

Was she? Was she...

"N-Natsu?" Levy asked. He had his eyes shut tight, but the single drop, like a pearl, betrayed him.

He took his mouth away from hers.

"Lucy..." He said, like a wounded animal.

"No..." levy groaned. "No!" She screamed, before punching the back of the coffin. It echoed around the chapel. Natsu collected the emotion again.

"Come on." He groaned, through his sobs. He kissed her, giving. No taking. "Come on!" He shouted, kissing once again. Levy was crying.

"No use Natsu! Stop it..." She said, sobbing the last words. "Just... Just stop..." She said, pain coursing through every nerve in her body. Lucy... was...

Gone.

Forever.

"NO!" Natsu screamed.

"Natsu...please..." she cried, before she fell to her knees, crying harder, breathing for air, _gasping _for air. The sorrow was clenching her trachea up tight, air couldn't get pass.

"Lucy! Come on!" Natsu said once more. He needed her! He needed to feel her emotions one more time! That little condensed feeling at the pit of her heart... he needed to here her sweet laugh once more... he needed to feel her hand on his skin once more.. He needed her...

"Please..." he begged. He looked down at her, sobbing. Her lips were wet from where he had kissed, her eyes however, remained closed. He felt tired... and weak... and.. he held himself up, and gathered the emotions one last time in his mouth.

"Please..." He whispered. He kissed her. He kissed her... He only kissed her... He didn't give...

A last kiss. Tears streamed down his face, as he raised himself, his mouth open in disbelief, tears staining his cheeks.

"I love you." He whispered, as he stroked her cheek, and looked one last time at her... Her hair, her small lips, her long lashes, her beautiful... her beautiful _everything_.

He shut his eyes, and turned around. He walked towards the doors of the church, tears still streaming down his face-

_Small condensed feeling_

He stopped. His heart raced. His head pounded. He felt it. He felt it... a slight, an ever so small feeling. It was tiny. The small condensed feeling. Love.

Natsu turned around, and ran to the coffin, gathering the emotions in his mouth. He pressed his lips against hers, giving. He clenched his eyes, wishing, wishing she could just-

A hand grabbed the back of his neck suddenly, and everything was being forced out of him. The lips on his were kissing so much, hands were on his cheeks, holding him in place, as the emotion coursed out of his body. He let it, as tears stopped.

There was breathing, as their lips parted. Her hands were still on his cheeks. She was breathing so heavily.

"Natsu..." She whispered. He leant away from her, looking at her.

One blue.

One brown.

"Oh my god." He said, as tears came once again. He grabbed her around the shoulders, and hugged her, so tight, never letting her go. "My god..." he said, through the lump in his throat.

"You did it." She said, the smile in her voice audible. He leaned away from her again, looking at her.

"Lucy..." he whispered. "Levy! Quick, get the food you bought from the house she's probably hungry on both sides!" Natsu said at the blue haired girl, who was looking in amazement.

"S-sure." She muttered.

"Natsu..." Lucy whispered. "More. Please..." she said. He nodded.

"Take all you need." He said, as he parted her mouth, and placed his lips over hers.

Her sweet lips... they were getting warmer once again, her mouth was no longer dry, as she stroked his hair back. He placed a hand on her cheek, as tears came again, so happy...

Yet...

"Jesus..." Levy said. The two broke apart, and and looked at Levy. "At least wait." She laughed, her voice trembling. Lucy looked, and smiled at her, as she put her legs over the coffin, and took a step out, hesitating. The long white dress fell to her feet, which were bare. She looked like a ghost, already with the colour of her skin, but having been dead for a while... Natsu smiled, as Lucy took steps gingerly towards Levy, before hugging the small girl.

"Thank you..." she whispered.

"It's okay Lucy..." Levy whispered, her own eyes tearing up again. "Eat!" Levy said, pulling away, and handing her a cereal bar, with the words _ZAP PROTEIN BAR! _Written in flashy yellow letters. She smiled, and took it, before taking a bite. Natsu walked towards the two.

"I've got something to say." He said, before Lucy lifted a finger.

"Wait a minute, just let me get changed, and kiss you properly." She said, smiling at him. He was about to refuse, but that smile... Lucy swallowed, and her blue eye turned brown.

"Human again." She smiled.

Natsu watched, smiling, as Lucy walked into the confessional, along with her clothes. He could only see her legs, but that was enough to make him smile pervely as she slipped out of her dress.

"Creep." Levy laughed.

"I am allowed. She's mine after all." He smiled. Levy rolled her eyes.

Lucy walked out, and smiled. She was wearing a black jumper, and blue trousers.

"Summer's ended?" She asked. "No more skirts?"

"Nope sorry. " Levy laughed. "Your stuff is in there. You have to hurry up, guests will arrive soon."

"Okay." Lucy smiled, walking to her bag. "Come visit us sometime Levy." Lucy smiled. Natsu opened his mouth to retaliate, but closed it again, sighing. The words couldn't come...

"Right..." Lucy said. "Levy, come here." She smiled. Levy nodded, and the two girls hugged.

"I'll miss you... no one to help me with physics..." Levy said.

"You'll always be my best friend... I love you Levy, thank you for all these years." Lucy whispered, hugging her closer, closing her eyes.

"You too Lucy..." Levy said. They hugged, before they took a step away from each other. Levy turned to Natsu.

"Take care of my Lu-chan." She told him. Natsu laughed.

"Mine, actually." He said, putting an arm round her. _tell her...tell her..._

Lucy's eyes brimmed with tears.

"I will see you again, won't I?" She asked Levy. Levy's eyes creased up. It would be a risk... such a risk... Levy looked into Lucy's eyes.

"I'll only ever have a vague idea of your whereabouts... sorry..." She whispered. Lucy nodded, holding back the inevitable tears.

"I'll contact you again." She nodded.

"Yeah..." Levy smiled. Lucy found Natsu's hand, and held it.

"Bye." He smiled at Levy.

"Yeah. Bye." She smiled back.

"Thanks Levy. For everything." He said.

"That's okay. Remember my letter." She smiled. He nodded.

Lucy looked at Levy, smiled, before she turned around, and walked outside with Natsu. He sighed. The words were stuck in his throat...

"There's a path that leads up to the mountains through the cemetery." Lucy said, smiling to Natsu as they walked out the church. She walked ahead of him. "So were are we going?" Lucy asked.

"Lucy, I-"

"Let's run back to my father's! We can run right? I mean I am probably not as fast as you in my dragon form but..." She said, as they reached the path that went up into the forest. Natsu sighed. He couldn't bring himself to say.

They were walking fast, soon, the graveyard, or any sign of a city, had vanished from there sight. Lucy stopped.

"Natsu... I haven't even kissed you properly yet..." She said, turning around. He smiled, and walked to her. Last kiss...last kiss... Natsu felt his eyes brim, as he smiled at her.

"I'm happy. I'm happy you're alive." He said, as he put his hand on her cheek. Her cheeks were pink from the cold. Not pale. She smiled.

"I can feel." She said, before she got onto her tippy toes.

Last kiss...

He felt a tear fall, as her lips reached his. He made it last, he didn't press hard against her lips, he just gently kissed her, making it mean something. Her hand reached up for his on her cheek, and bought it down, entwining there fingers. She found his other hand, and stroked the back with her thumb, as they kissed, Natsu's tears coming fast. Their kiss ended. Forehead against forehead, breaths slow, eyes closed. Lucy leaned forwards to kiss again, but Natsu leaned away. Last. Last kiss. It was done.

"Lucy...I'm sorry..." He said.

"Natsu? Stop crying." She said, bringing her hand to his face, and wiping his tears away with her thumb. He put his hand on hers, and held it there.

"Sting." He said.

"W-what?"

"He threatened Levy unless I meet him in our clearing today. He saw Levy. I'm sorry Lucy. I can't...I can't...I can't stay with you." He said.

"What do you mean he saw Levy?!" She shouted.

"She called me, well your house, when you died. I ran to the scene, and she was there...so was Sting..." Natsu said, closing his eyes. "He'll kill her unless I go up." Natsu said, looking at her. Lucy's mouth fell open.

"N-no..." she whispered.

"Oh? I thought I heard you."

"Sting!" Natsu said, taking hold of Lucy, and stepping in front of her. Sting was perched on a tree, looking down at them. He laughed.

"I was waiting for you at the clearing. How come she's alive? I watched her die!" He said, jumping down.

"Fuck..." Natsu said. "I'm coming up Sting-"

"No he's not." Lucy said, stepping out from behind Natsu. "He's not going up!" She shouted, dropping the rucksack on the floor.

"And like a human like you is going to stop him!" Sting laughed loudly.

"Lucy, I have to go or else Levy-"

"Never! You've ruined my life you!" She shouted at Sting. "You've ruined Cana's life! You _took _her life! Never! Never are you going to touch one of my friends again!" She shouted.

"You're going to stop me?" Sting laughed.

"Yes!" She shouted.

"Lucy don't-" Natsu started shouting, but was interrupted as Lucy grabbed the colour of his jacket, and bought him too her. She held his mouth open, and forced the emotions out of him. She felt the change, she felt the...

"What the hell?!" Sting said, as he took steps back. Lucy turned to him, both eyes bright blue. He looked, as she crouched down into a dragon's fighting position. He scowled at her.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted.

"Shut up!" The girl shouted, a growl at the back of her throat.

"Lucy come on merge dammit!" He shouted. She ran at Sting, fist raised, light coming from it. "Fuck!" Natsu shouted, seeing Sting smile, not moving. He ducked at the right time, just as Lucy swung her fist to his face. He ducked, and tripped her up, before getting up again, and kicking down on her stomach. She screamed. Natsu ran, he was fast on his feet, he kicked Sting back into a tree, and picked Lucy up. He ran with her bridal style in his arms, Sting on their tale.

"Put me down!" She yelled "I need to kill him!"

"Why?!" He shouted.

"Because...because... Ah!" She shouted. It worked. She had to think of something that made her _her _to merge. She closed her eyes, and reopened them again.

"Merged?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said. He looked at her, one blue, one brown.

"Excellent, run." He said.

"But-"

"Run!" He shouted. He put her down, and ran up the hill. The forest was slowly turning into a rocky landscape.

"Natsu I am going to kill him." Lucy said. Natsu was quiet.

"Lucy...you've never killed..." He said.

"He has. He has." She said.

"Lucy..." Natsu looked round, and pushed Lucy to the side, onto the ground. Above them flew the talons of a reptilian creature.

"Damn!" She shouted. Natsu sighed.

"He's trying to kill you." Natsu said, before a blinding white light shone, and Natsu as well was a dragon. He flew higher, racing after the white dragon, with patterns of blue on his hide. Natsu's wings felt stiff... he hadn't used his wings in four months.

Lucy looked up at the two, and yelled in frustration. Surely she had a hunting form? Surely. She sighed, closed her eyes, and lit her hand. She looked at it.

"Come on!" She shouted, as she tried to find some other source of power. She closed her eyes. "Come on!" She said. And then, dark.

Natsu couldn't reach Sting. Sting's hunting form was smaller than his, therefore lighter and faster. He felt his muscles now, he was accustomed to the muscles at his front the made his wings beat faster. He beat harder and faster, as he focused his eyes on him. Then, he felt something touch just underneath his left eye. He flew to the side startled, before he looked. It was Lucy! Except...two blue eyes, and a pair of wings, not like his, not like any he'd seen before... they were so... once again. Dragon yet human. Not scaly, not defined, but the contours seemed to glow a white that felt powerful, yet human. Once again, half and half, yet so human... They seemed more like angel wings more than anything, feathers seemed to be what made them. She looked at him, and her two blue eyes. She had managed to go full out on her own?

"You're Natsu. You appear every time I become me." She said, as she flew beside him. He couldn't speak, but he knew she felt his answer.

_Yes._

"And that's Sting? The me... the proper me... the me I don't know. She wants to kill him. Why won't she accept me.

_She's accepted you. She's accepted you now._

Lucy smiled, before lighting her hands. She was smaller, smaller than both of them. She flew higher, her wings making Natsu mezmerised, as he watched her catch up to the white and blue dragon, raise her hand as it glowed, and punched the hide. Sting's dragon missed a few wing beats, as he dropped in the sky, startled. Lucy looked round at Natsu, smiling. He felt the pride. _He _was proud. He caught up to the where Sting was flying at Lucy. And flew straight at the blue dragon. He opened his jaw, as did Sting, before both collided, Sting taking a bite at Natsu's shoulder, and Natsu trying to get to Sting's neck. But Sting was fast. His mouth closed around the beast's skin, just between the wing and his rear limbs. Natsu let out a large roar, as blood poured from his wound. Lucy flew over, getting onto Sting's neck, lighting her hands, and punching him. Natsu saw the look in her eyes... right now, she was so strong... her Dragon had overtook her completely... She screamed, as she bought both hands down onto Sting's head. The light shone bright, and Sting dropped a bit once more, not managing to get up immediately. Natsu roared, seeing the difficulty, and dove, as Lucy flew off. He opened his moth once more, seeing that Sting didn't have time to retaliate, and he made contact with Sting neck. He bit in, hard, making the dragon roar out loud, as they came hurtling towards the ground. Natsu let go, and flew, watching as Sting fell, blood oozing from his neck. He looked, as the white light flashed, once the dragon had hit the ground. He watched, as Sting lay, clothes drenched with blood, inanimate. He closed his eyes, before turning his head to his his wound.

Sting was dead... and his arm hurt...

"Natsu." Lucy voice said, as he felt a hand on his snout. He turned his head forward again, still treading air. He looked startled, as her blue eyes slowly turned to brown, closing, as her wings disappeared slowly, in a slow glow. Before he knew it, she was falling. He panicked, and dove straight down, right underneath her, before spreading his wings again. He felt it, a thud against his back, as he caught her. Natsu looked once more down at the dead body of Sting, before flying off.

Lucy was so tired... she felt some sort of weakness in the way she regained consciousness. She opened her eyes, and found she was lying down, staring up at the sky, still cloudy. She then realised she was lying on something warm, also moving. She sat up, her body aching.

"N-Natsu?" She asked, as she saw she was lying between the wings of a dragon, a dragon on the ground, it's breaths audible. There was a gentle rumble in the beasts throat. Lucy smiled, as she slipped off. She walked to the front of the dragon, and put a hand on his snout. "Thank you..." She whispered. She closed her eyes, as a blinding white light shone.

Natsu was panting, as he bought his hand up to his shoulder. He fell forwards, Lucy steadied him.

"You're okay..." He said.

"I think I remember some of it... my dragon took over...I let her take-your shoulder?" She said, as she removed his hand from it. He squinted. His clothes were torn in places, and his skin was blood red where it showed.

"Ah-ouch..." He said, squinting, as she removed a piece of cloth from the wound.

"Damn...I can hear water, come this way." She said, as she dragged him from his good arm. He sighed, and looked at her backpack she forgot. He bought her back to where they saw Sting. He stopped, and pointed at her backpack. She smiled, went and got it, and walked with him into the undergrowth.

They walked, through the green scenery, before Lucy found the little stream. She put the backpack down, and got something out of it.

"I thought you left the dress with Levy." He said.

"She didn't want it." Lucy laughed. "Top off." She said. Natsu knealed down by the water, but struggled, as his other arm stung every time he moved it.

"Lucy..." he sighed. She smiled, walking towards him, and kneeling down in front of him.

_No last kiss. Only more kisses to come. _

She put the hands at the base of his jacket, and pulled up, gently. He squinted, as he lifted his bad arm. His jacket came off, and she put it next to him. She then took the white cotton dress, and tore a strip off, before dunking it into the water. She put it gently on his wound, clearing it up.

"I love you." Lucy said, not averting her eyes from his wound.

"I love you back." Natsu said.

_Only kisses to come. _

**Three days later**

"I can't believe this is happening... I swear..." Natsu said, shaking his head.

"She said it was a goodbye present in her letter. Roll with it." Lucy laughed."it's just down this path. A farm I think." Lucy said, looking down at Levy's letter. Natsu sighed, and looked at the makeshift dressing visible through his torn jumper. There would definitely be scars there...

"There, I can see it." Lucy said. Natsu took a breath in. It was a farmhouse, big, and isolated.

"Damn you Levy." He said. They walked up the path.

They had been running for three days, in dragon form. They were far, far, _very _far away from Magnolia. On the first day, Natsu had remembered Levy's letter, and on it he found a little note addressed to him.

_Natsu, thanks for everything. A place that might bring back some human memories:_

Followed by an address. He knew she was up to something when she checked his last name.

"Let's go round the back." Lucy suggested. He nodded. The house was gorgeous, a real proper farm house. Lucy stopped, on the corner of the house. She heard whistling. Natsu nodded. He continued walking round, till he was out back, and he stared, his heart pounding.

A girl was whistling along to a tune playing in her earphones, as she held out a white sheet, and put it over a bar in the airer. It blew around in the gentle wind, as she yawned. Her eye caught the two people at the corner of their house. She suddenly felt conscious of her messy pink hair, and ran her fingers through it, attempting to tidy it up. She walked over.

"Hello, how may I help you?" She said. The man was looking at her with a startled look, his mouth open slightly. She found him intriguing, he had the same colour hair as her.

"U-um, we're looking for mister Dragneel?" Lucy said.

"He's away on work, but mrs Dragneel is here." The girl smiled. Lucy nodded. The girl turned around. "Mooom! Visitors!" She yelled through the open back door. There was the sound of a nervous laugh.

"Oh my, we don't usually get visitors around-"

The women fell silent as she saw the visitors.

Natsu's heart made a beat so strong he was sure everyone heard it.

"M-mom..." He said, before running toward the woman, and throwing his arms around her, dwarfing the short woman.

"N-Natsu? I-Is it? Is it you?" She said, putting her own arms around him, tears coming as well. Natsu gave a happy sob.

"Yeah it's me. I'm better now." He laughed, closing his eyes, and hugging his mother.

The girl looked confused at the scene.

"Who is he?" She asked Lucy. Lucy smiled.

"Natsu Dragneel. Your brother." Lucy smiled, as she looked at the girl. She stuttered.

"B-but that was a story mom always told me! My big brother that left when I was born... he's a story... he can't..." She looked at her mother. Her mother saw her look.

"Natsu, that's your little sister." She said. He turned around, ad grinned at the girl. She gave a startled laugh, and ran up to them as well, as she threw her arms around them.

Lucy smiled at them. She felt the disbelief and happiness.

She closed her own eyes, and thought about her journey. Her journey that led her to Natsu.

Back when they were enemies.

Back when they were prey and predator.

THE END

**And it's at this point I usually come and ruin the end for you. So, I have finished a fanfiction for the first time ^^ I hope you enjoyed Prey and Predator! I have to thank you all- ooo hold on I can do like in the oscars!**

***walks up to podium, crying just a lil bit, holding a figurine in hand***

**"So miss Roji-Hoshi how does it feel to of finished a fanfic?" The presenter said. **

**"It feels pretty darn amazing! I would like to thank all my followers, and not to mention the guests who've had this story bookmarked! You guys really were my motivation to write this, without those reviews, Prey and Predator would of never ended! I also want to thank Dragon Hoshi / Who Do You Think / Llanito for betaing some of the chapters and always giving a good view on the stories. And for being such an awesome *cough cough* **_**friiiieeeennnndddd**_**."**

**But yeah little bisuits. Thank you so much for having read this story. It has meant so much to me that you've enjoyed it. Imma go cry a lil bit. Bye little biscuits, I love you and, bisous :* :* :***

**And also because I am a troll, here you go ;)**

EPILOGUE

_"So you're a policeman now Jacob? What is it? Some complex about finding the guy who you know... did.. that to your family?" Someone said, an unimportant person to Jacob. The man gave a small smile._

_"Yeah...something like that. Him and everyone else in his... league." He said, before walking down the corridors of the police station._

_And everyone of his league... Lucy had something to do with this, she wasn't dead knew she wasn't dead. He saw her. He was visiting his family's grave. Early in the morning, just before Lucy's funeral, and what had he seen? Her walk away into the forest along with that guy... She wasn't dead at all. And Jacob was definitely going to find her, and get justice for what the blond guy did to his family. He would kill every single creature of the blond's kind._


	24. A LIL ANOUNCMENT FROM ROJI & MISTER BETA

**HEY GUYS**

**So prior to the publishing of the last chapter of Prey and Predator, where I did a mean... annoying... troll... ending, many of you requested/believed the existence of a sequel...**

**Well bros...**

**I am too nice to you you little biscuits... Here I am announcing **

**PREY AND PREDATOR TWO (WTF?!)**

**THE HUNTER (X2 WTF?!)**

**I am writing a fanfiction for halloween right now, so you will get the Hunter soon enough, hang on to your seats biscuits and brownies!**

**Once again thanks to you aaaalll for all the comments and shit you guys did, like WOWZERS I am a lucky author (hardly an author but fuck it) **

**SO BYE LIL BISCUITS**

**LOVE YOU :* :* **

**(Mister Beta says he loves you too)**

**(Yes we are skyping)**

**(Yes fml too)**

**ANYWAYS- HE JUST SAID SCREW YOU! HE SAID SCREW YOU! TELL HIM OFF! TELL HIM OFFF!**

**Any words you want to say mister beta?**

"**eeerrrmmm okay *laughs* eerrrmmm *laughs some more* try and request her to do some GaLe fanfics. She won't listen to me. Ngn *laugh*. Seriously you're doing this? Oh my god really? Your poor fans... your poor fans... Why am I saying 'your poor fans' I am the one who has to put up with you daily and what-not. *growls*"**

**So there were some inspiring words from the man who lets slip most of the spelling mistakes into Prey and Predator (it's his fault not mine :3) **

**ANYWAYS AFTER THAT RANDOMNESS I HOPE YOU'LL STAY TUNED FOR THE HUNTER! LOVE YOU (HE SAIS LOVE YOU GUYS) I SAY LOVE YOU BISCUITS!**

**:* :* :***


	25. THE HUNTER

PREY AND PREDATOR TWO: THE HUNTER

**COMING SOON: OCTOBER 31!**

**Hey girls and boys, Roji-Hoshi here to tell you and confirm I am wtiting the sequel, I promise XD The first chapter shall be published on October 31 (if I have internet, if not, a week later :P) So I hope you shall enjoy it! I am definitely enjoying writing it! Looking forward to see what you think about it! Lots of love to you :***


	26. THE HUNTER - Three Months On

**Hey guys! Roji here with the first chapter of the sequel! I really hope it lives up to your expectations!**

**Enjoy!**

PREY AND PREDATOR: THE HUNTER

1-THREE MONTHS ON

_"A new beginning."_

Sunlight shone into the room, revealing the dust motes swirling around calmly. The sun outside was a winter sun, it never shone up high in the sky, making the weather feel like a constant sunset. This yellow light was throwing beautiful shadows across Lucy's room, as she slept soundly, undisturbed by the tweeting of robins and thrushes outside in the garden, or by the cold in the room, making her cheeks blush from the heat of her covers. Her blond hair seemed a golden colour with the light shining onto it, and her skin a beautiful peachy tinge. Her breaths were regular, calm. She was sleeping, lost in a world of dreams and memories.

She was sleeping so soundly, she didn't even hear the door open, or the footsteps on the wooden floor.

Natsu walked in. He took one quick look at the scene. There she was... still as gorgeous as the first time he saw her... the person who made him realise what beauty was... He smiled, and walked to the other side of the double bed she had to herself, before lifting up the cover gently, sliding underneath, and pushing himself towards her, till his body was around hers, spooning her, as he put his hands on her waist.

"Mmm...Natsu?" She asked, as her eyes fluttered open.

"Morning Lucy." He whispered into her ear, before kissing her neck. She turned around to face him, her eyes blinking from the awakening.

"What are you dong in here?" She asked. He smiled.

"It's a cold morning, so I thought we could keep each other warm." He said, before kissing her, slowly, sweetly, passionately. She was almost loosing herself in the kiss, before she pulled away.

"Hey... your mother doesn't like us sleeping together Natsu..." She laughed. He sighed.

"Hell with her... She can't hear us..." He said, before going back to kissing her. Lucy smiled, as he slid his hand onto her bare skin, and sliding it up her torso, before going to her lower back, puling her closer. Lucy put her arms under Natsu's T-shirt as well feeling his warm skin, his toned abdomen... his beating heart. He felt her slide closer, and he slid his hand down to her thigh, to the crook of her knee. He pulled it up higher, till her leg was at his hips. He heard her breaths quicken,

"Lucy..."He whispered, breaking there kiss momentarily, forehead against forehead, eyes closed.

"Mhm?" She breathed.

"I love you..." He said, putting both his hands on her cheeks.

"I love you too Natsu..."She whispered. He smiled, and kissed her again.

Around the land of the farm, grass was crunchy from the cold weather, a small robin was on the washing line, as a short woman with black hair walked out the back door of the large house. She hummed a tune, as she went to a chicken coop, where the chickens in question clucked excitedly at her arrival. She hitched the bowl up she had under her arm, and put her hand in it, taking out a fist of chicken feed. She threw it on the ground, and the chickens started pecking. The woman went in the coop, shooing the other chickens out. She lent into each of the nests, taking out the eggs she found. Seven eggs in total.

She walked back out of the chicken coop, and along the cold crunchy grass back to the house. She stood on the porch, and turned back out to the land. There was one stone driveway leading up to the house, a barn where hay was kept, another for the tractor, and in the distance, a paddock for the two horses they had. Laura Dragneel smiled, before opening the door, and walking back into the house, into the kitchen.

"Morning mum." A girl said, who was sitting at the table. Laura smiled.

"Breakfast? Fried egg?" She asked. Summer smiled, and nodded. Laura got a pan out. "Is your brother up yet?" She asked.

"No, still sleeping. Why doesn't he eat mum?" She asked.

"He eats, Summer, just quickly when we are not looking... He doesn't eat healthily..." She sighed.

"Who doesn't eat healthily?"

"Natsu!" Summer smiled. He was on the stairs, looking at them.

"Morning. So who doesn't eat healthily?" He asked again.

"You." Laura said, tapping his head. He sighed.

"Whatever..." He laughed,as he sat down at the table.

"You don't even drink..." Summer mocked.

"I do, just not at meal times. Ask Lucy she'll back me up." He said.

"Where is she?" Laura asked.

"Still in bed I think. I wouldn't know since you don't even let us sleep together." He said, giving her angry eyes.

"Well I think you are both to young." She said, as she cracked eggs into the pan.

"Mum... I am nineteen..." He sighed.

"And she's only seventeen! Natsu... she is a lovely girl, welcome to stay here for however long, I know you two are in love, but I don't know about Lucy's past. Let alone yours... I don't even know where she is from..." She said, turing around. He looked at the ground.

"You know it's complicated..." He said.

"Uch you two stop fighting over whether Lucy and Natsu have sex or not..." Summer sighed. Laura gave a disapproving gasp.

"Summer! We were hardly talking about-"

"Shaddap pip squeak." Natsu said, pushing Summer lightly, as she giggled.

"Morning!" Lucy smiled, as she walked down the stairs.

"Good morning Lucy!" Laura smiled. She went back to the eggs, as Lucy sat down in front of Natsu.

"Good news! Dad is finally coming home!" Laura smiled.

"Yeeess! Today?!" Summer shouted, sitting up.

"Mhm! I though I'd surprise you." Laura laughed.

"Dad..." Natsu said. Lucy looked at him, and smiled.

"I'll go into town and leave the family together." Lucy smiled.

"Lucy... you're part of the family now." Laura smiled, looking over at her. Natsu took her hand.

"Yeah, you are." He said. She smiled at both of them.

"Thank you." She said.

"That's right, you're an orphan, aren't you?" Summer asked.

"Well, I was a doorstep kid. I met my dad not long ago." She said. Summer nodded.

"I get it... How did you two meet by the way?" Summer said, as Laura put two eggs on her plate. "Thanks mum." Laura smiled.

"Well..." Natsu said,looking at Lucy. They both looked at each other, images of the cave playing through their minds. Lucy's hand instinctively reached for the scar on her leg, caused by Natsu's fire. He looked at her compassionately.

"We met in unlikely circumstances, but we met, and that's what's important." He said.

"Ew. Gross." Summer sighed.

"Now now Summer you asked the question in the first place. Lucy would you like some breakfast?" Laura asked. Lucy smiled, and answered.

Once breakfast was finished, and everyone was ready for the day, work around the farm started. Lucy was helping Summer in the stables, while Natsu was ploughing the crop field, getting it ready for the spring. Laura was busying herself around the house, getting it ready for Natsu's father's arrival.

Natsu smashed the plough into the frozen ground. He sighed. If only his mum let him use the tractor... He looked up a second, cracking his back, and saw something that made him laugh. Summer was on one of the three horses, galloping around Lucy, who was laughing as Summer made cowgirl sounds.

"Yeeeehah! Come on Lucy gallop!" She yelled. Lucy sighed, gave a tap on the horses hide, and the horse went into a gallop to Summer, who had gone over to Natsu.

"Hey, watchu up too big brother?" Summer asked. He grinned up at her.

"What does it look like? I'm upholding the family tradition and farming." He said, putting his hands on his hips. Lucy came over.

"Ha, I'm taller than you." She said, smiling down at him. He grinned up at her.

"You'd be a hot cowgirl." He said. She laughed.

"Come on Lucy! Don't give in to all the lovey dovey stuff! Ride with me!" Summer yelled, before kicking the horses side, and they took off. Lucy laughed, and watched her, before getting off the horse. Natsu walked over, putting his hand on the horses snout, feeling the soft skin.

"Why do you two get along so well?" He asked her.

"Who? The horse or Summer?" Lucy mocked. He laughed.

"You and Summer. It's like you're meant to be friends." He said, patting the horse. Lucy smiled.

"Well, I guess having no female company apart from her mother must mean she was yearning for a girl friend." She said, as she rubbed her cold hands together.

"Natsu! Summer! He's here!" Laura's voice suddenly shouted from the back door of the house.

"Dad?!" Summer shouted in the distance. The horse suddenly galloped back, and she got off. "Thanks Lucy!" She said, passing Lucy the reigns, and running to the house. She laughed.

"Are you coming?" Natsu asked, putting a hand on her waist. Lucy smiled.

"No... You need some time as a family, I'll put the horses back in there stable. Good luck." She said.

"Okay. Don't get too cold." Natsu smiled,kissing her, before he dropped the plough, and followed Summer, running at a reasonable pace, not showing his dragon skills.

His heart was thumping... his father... the vague image he had of the pink haired man who had always made him laugh as a kid...before the virus, that was. He needed to see him. He was in there, right through those back doors. He suddenly felt nervous... He stopped, before going in through the back doors.

There was just a room between him and his father. Just through that white door into the front room, where his father was...

Natsu walked to the door frame, and watched, as a tall burly pink haired man, laughed, hugging Summer. Laura saw Natsu standing by the door, and smiled at him.

"Igneel... sorry I didn't tell you but... guess who's home." She said, tapping his back.

"What? Did your parents come or something?" He asked, in a loud voice. She shook her head, and pointed at the door frame behind his back. Igneel turned around, confused.

"Dad." Natsu smiled. Igneel looked confused a second.

"Laura... is that..." He asked, his loud deep voice going down. Natsu laughed, feeling like as if he had only seen his father yesterday.

"Yes..." She smiled. Igneel's mouth fell open. He took a nervous step towards Natsu.

"My son..." He said under his breath."Is my son really home?" He asked, the corners of his mouth turning up. Natsu nodded.

"Yep. I'm back." He said. Igneel smiled wider.

"Well I be damned... out of all the times I've wondered what my young man would grow up to be, never did I think you'd be this... this... this..."

"I get it." Natsu laughed, before walking over to his father, and hugging him. Igneel was taller than Natsu, he made Natsu look small and lanky compared to him. Igneel held Natsu very tight to him.

"I'm proud of you son." He said.

"Thanks dad..."

Lucy patted the horses snout, as she closed the last stable door. It gave a thankful snort, before she sighed, and turned around to walk outside. She was going to go to town, leave the Dragneel family rejoice for a while. She gave a little laugh, before she walked around the house, to the front porch where her town shoes were. She sat down, took off her boots,and slipped one on.

"Ah, you must be my son's girl." A deep voice said. Lucy felt startled a second, but turned to see a big pink haired man. She laughed.

"Yes I am Mr Dragneel. Nice to meet you." She said. He laughed, and shook her hand.

"Stop with the formalities, Laura told me you refused to call her by her name. Are you leaving?" He asked. She smiled.

"I thought I'd leave the family for a while. Besides I have stuff to do in town."Lucy smiled.

"Alright then. Just one question..." He said, as he went to sit on the bench next to her.

"Yes?" She asked, doing up her laces.

"What happened to him... What happened to Natsu? What was his illness?" He asked. Lucy was caught of guard. She opened her mouth, and the words only came a moment later.

"He... he fell ill with a gastric disease. It was very contagious so he was sent to a special place to learn how to eat again. The illness stopped his body from being able to process food. He was fed through IV and other methods." Lucy said. Igneel nodded.

"He still has trouble eating?" He nodded.

"Yes, he usually skips meals but eats throughout the day." She smiled. Igneel nodded, smiled, and got up.

"Okay. You seem like a good girl, he's made a good choice. Nice meeting you Lucy." Igneel said, before walking back smiled, as she stood up, and walked along the gravel path. It was cold, and her jacket was still meant for winter. She sighed, wrapping it tighter around herself. She longed for Natsu's warm arms...

The Dragneel farm was five kilometres from the town centre, a small town with basic shops like food and clothes. Lucy needed something she had been thinking about for a while, but felt stupid getting. She sighed, as she walked down the road to the town. She still felt stupid even just thinking about it. She was tempted to go back up to the house and stay in the stables. But nonetheless...

Soon she was in town, cars passing by. She lowered her head. The news about her had died down, yet she was thankful the Dragneels lived in an isolated place, they barely ever watched TV, or looked at the news. It had been three months since that day. She missed Magnolia... yet at least she was with Natsu. She would give the world for him...

And with that thought, she stopped walking, and faced her biggest challenge. She took a breath in, before looking through the windows of the chemist. She sighed, as she walked in.

"Hello! How may I help?" The woman at the counter asked. Lucy started feeling even more stupid.

"Um..." She stuttered. She had been thinking about _it _for a while... She wanted Natsu, but in a more..._physical _way than before. She bit her lip, as she tapped her foot on the ground. "I was... I was wondering what type of... of... contraceptive pill that I could get with no prescription... please..." she said, her voice quiet. The chemist smiled.

"Of course! Just wait here two seconds!" She said. Lucy breathed out a sigh of relief. Naturally she felt like getting like that with Natsu... yet of course if they were going to one day do it, she'd need some form of protection...

The chemist bought her a box, and explained the instructions to her. Lucy payed, and thanked the woman, before walking out. She went to the news agent just next door to get something for Summer, she knew Summer liked chocolate. She went inside, and went to the counter, a chocolate bar in hand. She looked briefly at the magazines, as something caught her eye.

It was a newspaper, a regular newspaper, the headline revealing

_MYSTERIOUS MISSING BODY_

_Main girl of the dragon affair's body discovered missing from coffin._

_Not long ago, miss Lucy Heartfilia was declared deceased by doctor Carol Rowen following her disappearance, and the collapse on the streets of Magnolia. But following the investigation of the murder of the Jackson family who lived on the same street as miss Heartfilia, Lucy's coffin had to be taken out of the ground and checked after main inspector on the scene, new officer Jacob Jackson, no other than the son of the killed Jackson family, claimed to have seen her sometime before her funeral. Her body was discovered missing from the coffin, and after a thorough investigation on Lucy's whereabouts, it appears she was in Magnolia a while before her death. CCTV shows her on a bus with another man, no clear photo could be found of him, but people are encouraged, if they have seen Lucy or this man, to report immediately to the police._

Lucy looked terrified at the newspaper... No way could this be happening. Her hands gave little shakes, as she put it down along with the chocolate bar, and walked outside. Suddenly it felt like as if everyone was looking at her, like as if everyone was going to call the police, she lowered her head, and walked faster, and only when she regained the small road did she break into a panicked run.

**Dya like it?! **

**Bisous :***


	27. SORRY

Well hey guys, Roji here, just a little note to say sorry for the lack of this weeks chapter. I'm going through some shit at the moment and I haven't gotten organised with Fanfic and all, I am very sorry. If all goes well I will post next week though, don't worry, if not, I am sure mister beta/dragon hoshi will find the chaps I did and publish them. WON'T YOU BISH?! Love you guys!

Love you guys! Stay all biscuity and sweet and lovely :* (I just realised repetition of love you guys. that's how much I love you guys)

Bisous, from Roji :*


	28. Sorry Note-I'm in hospital

Hey guys, Roji here with a little update. Sorry for the lack of not-publishing lately, I have been in hospital for two weeks so far, but I should be let out permanently soon. I'll get straight back to writing! Promise! Love you guys! :* :* MANY BISOUS :* :*


	29. THE HUNTER - Run

**Hey guys! Roji back from the dead ;) I havent really had time to full check this chapter, might be a little typos and bad phrasing here and there, but I just wanted to get back into the flow of Fanfic! Hope you enjoy!**

**Also, thank you so much for all your lovely reviews telling me to get better, it means a lot to me :,) **

**So without further ANs, Here is the chapter!**

PREY AND PREDATOR: THE HUNTER

2-RUN

_One week earlier_

"Jacob Jackson... I am sorry for your loss, once again." The Undertaker said, as Jacob walked into the funeral parlour. The black haired man nodded.

"Thank you." He said, in his velvety voice. The place brought sad memories for him... The death of his mother... father... sister... at the ends of that one man. No... no... not man... _monster. _He had memories of going in here. He was twenty years old, he could organize a funeral. And that's what he did. The whole family buried together, apart from him. He wanted to be buried with them once he died. He had made his will as soon as he joined the police force. He was an investigator, the youngest investigator to be hired by the Police Department of Magnolia. He was working on his parent's case. An exception had been made for him... He had to find the man.

The police thought he was crazy, claiming that one guy had broke into his house,and killed all of them, using him to get to Lucy. Lucy was wrapped up in this case somehow. And one thing Jacob knew. She wasn't dead.

It was the 1st of October, the day of Lucy's funeral. He had come to pay his respects. He had come earlier, to visit his family's grave, and whilst standing there, he saw something that made him look, instead of act.

Lucy was walking away, along with the pink haired man she had been with. Completely unscathed.

The funeral went along without a hinge, apart from the fact the dead girl was walking.

"How may I help you Jacob?" The old Undertaker said. Jacob wondered one moment who would organize _his _funeral once he died.

"I have a warrant to search a coffin." He said, giving a charming smile, hands in his pockets in his black trench coat. The Undertaker looked confused.

"To search a coffin?" He asked. Jacob nodded.

"Yes. I need your help to dig it up." He said. He looked horrified.

"Mr Jackson that is highly unrespectful for the soul within that coffin!" He said.

"It's police business." He said, his dark olive eyes piercing the light blue ones of the old man. He opened his mouth to argue back, but sighed instead.

"Which coffin?" He asked. Jacob smiled.

"Lucy Heartfilia." He said, cocking his head to the side. The Undertaker frowned, and with a sigh, said:

"Follow me."

They walked through the graveyard, the Undertaker leading him to a shed, giving him a shovel.

"I do not approve of this. You dig yourself mister Jackson. I'll be in my office." He said, as he gave the shovel. Jacob rolled his eyes, and walked to the graveyard.

He looked at the tombstone.

_Lucy Heartfilia_

_Born 1st of July_

_Died 23rd of September 2015._

_Rendered immortal by our memories of her._

Jacob gave a slight laugh.

"Immortal." He said, before shaking his head, and grabbing the shovel. He hit the ground, and took the first bout of earth out.

It was evening, and Jacob was breathing heavily. He had help from the Undertaker in the end, in taking the coffin out. And there it was. At the ground before him. He crouched down, and with the blade of the shovel prized the clasps open. He took a breath as he lifted it.

"Lucy Lucy Lucy..." He said. "So you do have a role to play in this... And your mystery guy." He said, frowning. The coffin was empty.

_Three days later_

The lights flashed as he walked out in front of the police station. The media had heard of the story. It was debriefing time for them.

"My name is investigator Jackson!" He shouted, making the yells of questions quieting down. "Today we have knowledge that Lucy Heartfilia may be involved in the murder of Mia, Emily, and David Jackson. She isn't dead." He said. Yells once again started. "We encourage the general public to contact us if they have any information of Heartfilia's whereabouts!" He shouted, as the journalists quietened down again. "Thank you. Good night." He said, before walking away. He smiled, as the clicks of cameras and yells of journalists were heard once more.

Jacob went to his desk. It was cold. Soon Christmas. He looked at the newspaper article on his desk. _MISSING GIRL FOUND DEAD._ He tapped with his biro pen on the front image. Those brown eyes. That blond hair. That pale skin. What secrets did she have...

"Jackson?" An officer said, poking his head around the door.

"Mm?" He asked, sighing.

"The people in charge of the Heartfilia girl's death found some CCTV that you might find interesting." The officer said as he walked in. Jacob nodded.

"Send it to my email then please." He said. The officer smiled.

"Already done sir." Jacob smiled at him.

"Finally, someone useful." He sighed. The officer laughed.

"I'm not surprised you'd find us incompetent. You are a young detective who excels at everything sir." The officer said. Jacob laughed.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Me? I'm Andrew, Andrew Kingston." He said. Jacob nodded, smiling.

"Excellent. Thank you officer Kingston." He said. Andrew nodded, smiling, and walked out. Jacob's smile vanished, as he went to his laptop. The lights were off, and only the light from the screen was shining on Jacob's face. It made his bony and defined cheekbones stand out, the black pupil in his olive green eyes shine sinisterly. He looked through the emails, and found the CCTV one.

He opened the file.

It was on a bus, the eve of the 3rd of August. Lucy was still missing then, yet the blond hair was unmistakable. People wouldn't of been looking for her... no wonder she could of gone easily through Magnolia without being noticed. And surely enough, next to her was the pink haired man. He looked, and frowned, as words were exchanged between them, as the pink haired man almost stood up fixing a brunette, how she pulled him back down and kissed him for a long time. It seemed passionate. Jacob frowned harder, as they leant away from each other. He squinted his eyes, and played it back. He saw it again. Just as they leaned away from the kiss. He paused the video, and zoomed in.

There was a blue light between their mouths... She was one of them. Or the pink man was. He frowned, and breathed.

_Don't think about them. That didn't happen to them._

_To your own family! Killed by one puny monster!_

"Tsch!" Jacob said, kicking his desk.

_Present time_

Lucy couldn't believe it. She had to stop running, her heart was racing from having seen the newspaper. Jacob? Jacob opened her coffin? She fell to her knees, eyes bulging, her breaths heaving.

_Dead._

_I._

_Should._

_Be._

_Dead._

_Die._

She started shaking, all over. She was putting Natsu at risk, Summer at risk, Laura at risk, even Igneel at risk! She groaned, as her heart pounded more. A rogue growl escaped her throat.

Natsu sighed, as he looked out the window. The sun was low over the horizon. Lucy had been gone a long time. Summer was attempting to climb Igneel's back, he insisted she was too heavy, and Laura laughed. Natsu smiled looking at them, but the worry in his heart was felt again.

"Natsu, she's alright." Laura smiled, as she put a hand on his back.

"She's been gone since this afternoon. It's evening now, it'll get dark and she won't be able to find her way home..." He sighed. Laura put her hand on Natsu's hair, stroking it in a motherly fashion.

"She'll be back soon Natsu. Stop worrying." She smiled, as he laid his head on her shoulder. He was sitting at the window, so standing up her shoulder was at his head-level. "Why don't you go upstairs and tidy your room, okay?" She said. He nodded. She kissed his head, before he got up, and walked up the stairs.

He got to the top level, and stopped a second. He felt it. He was hungry. He breathed in, and out. It was strangely cold on the top level, like as if someone had left their window open. He went to his room, opened the door, and looked. It was closed. He then looked at Lucy's door. He frowned, walking towards it, and opened the door.

The wind blew into the hall. Her window was wide open, her jacket and top were on the floor, and she was standing topless at the window, arms around her chest. He looked confused, at the wings protruding from her back.

"L-Lucy?" He asked, walking in and closing the door. She didn't turn around. She just stood there, the bright yellow light from the window making her skin golden, and her hair honey. Her wings were still the same undefined sheen of white, almost glowing. He walked towards her. "Lucy?" He asked again. This time, she turned her head to the side, and turned around, arms still covering her chest. Natsu looked deep into her eyes. Into her crying, light blue eyes.

"Help..." she whispered. Natsu looked, panic stricken.

"What's happened?" He asked, grabbing a blanket, and wrapping it around her, as she folded her wings, so the blanket covered them as well, only the top protruding. She leaned against him, in an armless-hug. He felt surprised a second, before he wrapped his arms around her. "Why are you like this?" He asked.

"She... she felt under attack. And what happens hen we feel under attack?" She asked, as she leaned away.

"Well... we transform automatically." He said. She looked at him, and nodded.

"And the same goes for my species. I transformed automatically." She whispered. Natsu looked at her blue eyes.

"Lucy..." he whispered.

"I share her thoughts. We may seem different but we are the same person. I know what happened." She said.

"What? She felt under attack?" He asked. Lucy nodded.

"And more... You have to talk me out of it. I can't leave here, my food source is too rare, I'd die. Unless I can feed off humans..." She said. Natsu grabbed her wrist.

"What do you mean leave here?" He asked. Lucy looked at him.

"It's in the newspaper. I am being hunted down. My empty coffin was discovered, you are being searched for as well. She wants to run away from here without telling you. She doesn't want to put you or your family at risk, but if I leave I will die." Lucy whispered. Natsu looked panic stricken.

"H-how-"

"We share 'll know about this. Both my sides have become accustomed to one another. We remember when we change now." She whispered. "My human will know about this conversation Natsu." She said. He nodded. "I am going to change back now. I'll be tired. My wings consume a lot of energy. From both sides." She said. Natsu nodded. "Natsu." She said. He looked at her.

"What?"

"My human side loves you. That feeling is rubbing off on my dragon side." She said, her tear stained face still emotionless. He looked at her.

"I love every side of you." He said. Her blue eyes glinted a moment, and her mouth formed a slight smile.

"I'm going to transform back now." She said. "I am tired." She whispered, as the blinding white light shone, and her wings vanished, leaving Lucy, her eyes fluttered close, as she swayed a moment, and almost fell to the ground, if Natsu hadn't caught her. He stayed there, Lucy's back leaning on his bent knee, her head lolling in his left hand, and his right holding the blanket. He pulled her up closer to him, as he hugged her.

"Damn..." He whispered, before kissing her forehead, and carrying her to her bed, and laying her down. He looked at her, an stroked her cheek. She sighed in her sleep. He looked concerned at her. He wouldn't let her run away. He walked out the room.

"Lucy's home." He said, once downstairs.

"Huh?" Laura asked. "I didn't see her come through the door." She said.

"You probably didn't look properly." He said, as he went to sit by the window again.

"Are you okay Natsu?" Summer asked.

"Fine." He lied.

"Son..." Igneel said.

"I'm fine." He said again.

"Where's Lucy?" Summer asked. Natsu looked further out the window.

"Sleeping. She's tired." He said.

"Is she okay?" Laura asked.

"Fine." He answered, his mind up there with her.

"Poor girl...She always seems so skinny." Laura sighed.

"Nah mum she's good. You are just paranoid." Summer said. Natsu sighed.

Time passed, and soon it was dinner, Lucy still wasn't downstairs.

"Why don't you go and get her Natsu?" Laura asked. He shook his head.

"She's okay mum. She's just feeling a bit off." He lied. He knew she would want to sleep.

"Okay..." She said, as she bought the plate with a roast chicken on. "Darling," She said to Igneel. "What would you like? Leg? White?" She said. He gave a big smile.

"I want my son to go first, he's a man now and should know what part of a chicken he wants." He said. Natsu smiled.

"Nah thanks dad... I'm not hungry." He said. Igneel frowned.

"Natsu, you're not ill anymore." He said in a fatherly manner.

"Still dad..." He sighed.

"Eat." Igneel said more sternly. Natsu looked at the big brown eyes of his father, and felt like a little kid. Scared of what would come next. He started breathing quickly.

"I'll have what's easiest." He said, frowning. Laura paused a second, prepared to take pity on Natsu, but sighed, and cut a piece of for him. She put the chicken in front of his plate. He sighed, and waited for everyone to be served before Laura sat down, and they started. He put a piece in his mouth, the cardboard like texture of the bird making his gullet lurch in protest. He swallowed.

And swallowed.

His family made small talk, as he swallowed more. Dinner was over

"Desert Natsu?" Laura asked. He frowned.

""No thanks. If that's okay." He said. His dad raised on eyebrow at him.

"Sure." He said Natsu felt something not right go on at the pit of his stomach.

"Can I leave table?' He asked.

Really?" Laura asked, almost disappointed. He nodded. She gave a nod of approval, and Natsu got up, and went upstairs, to the top floor. He was going to see Lucy, put the feeling in his stomach got worse. He felt hot and clammy, and he went to the bathroom. His legs shook, as he bent over the toilet, and a horrible sensation of burning was felt in his throat, as what he had tried to eat came out. He breathed in sharply, a he spat. His throat stung, as he sat on the ground, grabbing a piece of tissue and wiping his mouth.

"Natsu?" A small voice said. He turned around to the door of the bathroom. Lucy was standing there, holding a blanket around her.

"Lucy..." He sighed, his breaths still ragged.

"What's up?" She asked, as she went and crouched down next to him. He sighed, as he got up,and washed his mouth out in the sink.

"Human food." He said, spitting. She patted him. He got up. "Don't remember?" He asked.

"I turned..." She whispered. He nodded.

"You explained it to me." He said. "And forget about running away." He said, as he kissed her cheek. She sighed.

"Brush your teeth Natsu..." She said, as she walked off to her room. He rolled his eyes.

Natsu was up all night. He couldn't sleep. Each creak of the house made him think Lucy was leaving. He couldn't take it. He got up, and opened his door. The house was dark and cold, as he walked along the landing to Lucy's room. He eased the door open, and saw Lucy. She was sitting up in bed, which faced the window, looking out at the dark clouds.

"Lucy." Natsu whispered at the door, as he walked in. She looked at him.

"I'm hungry."She whispered. He nodded, closed the door, and went to sit beside her, in bed with her. He put his hand on her chin, as she put hers on his cheeks. He opened his mouth, letting his emotions flow as she took. He took his hands away, and closed his eyes, as he lay down. Lucy followed, and got on him, still was already feeling the strain. He was hungry himself, but could last longer. Lucy gently played with his lips, pressing hers lightly on his, still feeding, as she started unbuttoning his shirt. Natsu was getting weaker, but could still feel all of Lucy's desires. She wanted his emotions, yet she also wanted _him. _She pushed his shirt to the side, revealing his chest, and she ran her hands along his warm body. The blanket had fallen of her body, showing that she had put a top on, and she still had trousers on. He cursed the trousers mentally, he wanted to feel her soft skin, even though he was too tired even to lift his arm. Lucy gave a low groan, as she crouched down lower over him, holding his mouth open. The flow stopped. Natsu breathed in heavily.

"Enough?" He asked.

"Of that, yes. Of this, no." She said, her one blue eye shining. She pushed his head to the side, making his neck more visible, as she kissed, playfully biting. He closed his eyes, as tiredness made every touch, every whisper, blur into a flurry of pleasure. He opened his eyes.

"Lucy... I love you..." He said.

"I love you too." She whispered.

"Not tonight... tired..." he said, as he stroked her cheek. He felt her nod.

"Yes Natsu." She whispered, as she got off him, and lay beside him. "Sleep now okay?" She said, as she kissed his lips. He nodded, tired from the feeding and from the whole day in general.

Lucy watched, smiling, as Natsu fell asleep on her bed. She smiled, as her blue eye turned brown again, and tears quietly rolled down. She kissed his sleeping lips, and got up off the bed. She went to her bag.

The air was still and dark, it was the middle of the night. Lucy was walking along the gravel driveway, backpack over her shoulder, silently sniffing, as she walked off. She closed her eyes, and soon, one was blue. She clenched her heart, crying, before she ran off, quickly and quietly.


	30. EXPLANATION

ANOTHER BLOODY SORRY NOTE

Hey guys, Roji back after AAAGGGEEES... I have a few announcments to make!

I had to stop fanfic for a while, reason being my trip to hospital, then my trip back to hospital, then the mock exams, and a lot of shit from school...

But I am back

Well I'll be back soon anyway XD I've been through a lot of shit lately, and it's been hard to write (or do anything for that matter) And because I've missed loads of school, I've had to catch up on all my work plus revise for the GOD DAMN mocks XD

I should be back to writing soon enough, and for the mean time I have plenty of chapters of THE HUNTER waiting for you

I am also working on a story of my own which I am hoping to publish by end of 2016 (I have contacts XD) So I am writing two things at once!

And I thought also, I want to get to know you guys better, so why not have some fun! I am giving you a challenge! Why not write your own fanfiction of prey and predator? I'll publish it on this story (copyright goes to you of course don't worry XD) and it could be fun!

Anyway, I hope you forgive me for my absence, love you guys!

BISOUSSSSS!


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